Vijayapura: The arrival of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, D. K. Shivakumar to Bijapur district on Saturday, is expected to boost the morale of the party workers of the district.
Shivakumar who is coming to the district for the first time after taking charge of KPCC is scheduled to hold party workers’ meet to elicit their opinion and to share his ideas to strengthen the party.
Besides holding meetings with the party workers and leaders, the Congress sources said that he may also convene a meeting to bring two Congress legislators; M. B. Patil and Yeshwantraigouda Patil to the negotiating table to sort out their differences.
It may be noted that both leaders are at loggerheads for quite some time and often both of them are seen criticizing openly each other on various issues.
Recently, both leaders made allegations and counter-allegations over the approval given by the State Government for filling up 16 tanks of Indi taluk.
While M. B. Patil claimed that it was he who envisaged the plan for filling up 16 tanks of Indi taluk through Tidagundi aqueduct at the cost of Rs. 140 crore, and also got approval from Chief Minister, B. S. Yediyurappa, Yeshwantrai refuted the claims.
Both of them made claims through a press conference, which also made their differences public.
Since both leaders are not maintaining cordial relationships which may affect the morale of the party workers, Shivakumar may try to end the tussle by holding discussions with them.
Though Zilla and Taluk Panchayat elections are months away and City Corporation too may not be held soon as the case regarding delimitation is pending in Supreme Court, Shivakumar may hold a meeting to prepare the workers for the coming polls.
Ticket aspirants may also meet him to exert pressure for ensuring the ticket.
Shivakumar is visiting Sindgi taluk where a by-election is scheduled after the demise of JD(S) MLA, M. C. Managuli, KPCC chief is expected to hold a meeting of leaders on the issue.
It is an open secret that after the Congress declared Ashok Managuli, the son of M. C. Managuli as their candidate for coming by-polls, many Congress leaders are upset with the decision.
They are saying that the party should have given the ticket to the Congress worker rather than the outsider.
Though the party is trying to take the rebel leader into confidence, however, since many leaders are still unhappy, they may try to pour their anger before Shivakumar.
The KPCC chief has a bigger responsibility not only to take all disgruntled leaders into confidence but also to ensure the victory of the party candidate in the coming polls.
