Congress mulls Political Affairs Committee to bridge govt-party coordination gap in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Sep 19 (UNI) The Congress high command is considering a Political Affairs Committee in Karnataka to rein in growing friction between the government and the party organisation and ensure that key political and policy decisions are taken with greater coordination.
The proposed panel assumes significance amid the emerging differences between Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and KPCC president B K Hariprasad, with the party leadership keen to prevent the government-party divide from turning into an open internal confrontation.
According to party sources, the committee is likely to comprise representatives of both the government and the Congress organisation. Major decisions concerning the government and the party could first be discussed in the panel before being taken forward. The move is also aimed at putting in place a formal coordination mechanism between the Chief Minister and the KPCC president at a time when the Congress is preparing to strengthen its organisation from the booth level ahead of the next Assembly elections. The high command's intervention comes against the backdrop of increasing internal activity within the Karnataka Congress.
The party has already undertaken organisational changes, including the appointment of new district presidents, as part of its efforts to strengthen the organisation. The proposed committee could also become a forum to address differences between various factions and prevent the reported DK-versus-BK friction from escalating into a wider organisational dispute.
The Congress leadership is understood to be keen that the government and the party organisation work in tandem rather than operate on separate tracks, particularly on decisions with political implications. The proposal has been placed before the high command for consideration. Its final approval, composition and mandate are yet to be decided.
The move comes at a politically sensitive stage for the Karnataka Congress, with the party facing the dual task of managing the government and rebuilding its organisational machinery for the electoral battles ahead.
