Shivakumar’s oath-taking is watched by thousands through live streaming
BENGALURU:
State Congress president-designate DK Shivakumar formally took over the party reins on Thursday as hundreds of party workers looked on via live streaming of the event.
As per the Covid-related rules, only 50 party functionaries were physically present at the KPCC office on Queen’s Road as Shivakumar, 58, took the oath of office in Kannada.
Among those present were party general secretary K.C. Venugopal, newly-elected Rajya Sabha member Mallikarjun Kharge, former CM Siddaramaiah, former state unit president Dinesh Gundu Rao, former Union Minister Rehman Khan and head of the women’s wing Pushpa Amarnath.
The 2-hour event began with party workers reciting ‘Vande Mataram’ in homage to the Indian soldiers who died in a clash with Chinese soldiers at the LAC in Ladakh last month.
State unit working president Saleem Ahmed welcomed the attendees, including those who were watching remotely, and former state unit chief Gundu Rao handed over the Congress flag to Shivakumar.
Among those who spoke were Venugopal, Gundu Rao, Shivakumar, Kharge, Siddaramaiah, party leader in the Legislative Council SR Patil and working presidents Eshwar Khandre and Satish Jarkiholi.
Shivakumar noted that despite the current restrictions on gatherings, hundreds of partymen had ‘joined him’ remotely on the occasion from 7,800 places across the state. He stressed the fact that “all the remote participants wore masks and maintained social distancing.”
DKS, as he is popularly known, was appointed on March 11, but the formalities had to wait due to the lockdown. Shivakumar is the MLA for Kanakapura.
Previous state chief Gundu Rao had stepped down on December 9 following the party’s rout in the Assembly by-polls on December 5, when only 2 out of its 15 candidates won.
