Udupi: Newly appointed Udupi District Congress president Kishan Hegde Kolkebailu formally assumed charge at the District Congress office in Brahmagiri on Thursday, saying he would approach his new responsibility as an ordinary party worker rather than merely as the district president.

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) appointed Kishan Hegde Kolkebailu as the Udupi District Congress Committee president earlier this month. He had previously served as the working president of the district Congress.

Kishan Hegde promises direct contact with workers

Speaking after taking charge, Kishan Hegde said he would not forget the opportunity and honour given to him by the Congress party.

He assured party workers that he would make efforts to reach out to every worker and remain accessible to them.

“I am an example that with patience and perseverance, one can earn any responsibility in the Congress party,” he said.

Kishan Hegde said he did not intend to restrict his views and ideas to party platforms. Instead, he would visit the homes of party workers and communicate with them directly.

Maintaining continuous contact with workers and responding to their views and concerns would be among his priorities, he added.

Responsibility handed over by Ashok Kumar Kodavoor

Former district Congress president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor formally handed over charge to Kishan Hegde Kolkebailu.

KPCC working president Manjunath Bhandary described the occasion as a transfer of responsibility rather than merely a transfer of power.

Bhandary said that in the past, party leaders were appointed after obtaining the opinions of local leaders, while the new district president had been selected after taking the views of party workers into consideration.

He urged the new leadership to respond to the needs of party workers without discrimination and said the Congress office should remain accessible to workers.

Focus on grassroots organisation

Bhandary called for greater attention to strengthening the party organisation at the grassroots level in view of the upcoming Gram Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat elections.

He stressed the need to take party workers into confidence and strengthen the organisation from the grassroots.

Kishan Hegde had also previously said that the party’s organisation drive involved consultation with leaders and workers before his appointment.

Kodavoor assures support to new president

Outgoing district Congress president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor thanked party workers for their cooperation during his seven years and seven months in the post.

He assured Kishan Hegde that he would extend his full cooperation to the new president in strengthening the party organisation.

The leadership change comes after the AICC announced new district Congress presidents across Karnataka. Reports on the appointment said AICC observers had gathered views from party leaders and workers as part of the organisational exercise before the appointments were finalised.

Leaders attend charge-taking ceremony

KPCC Campaign Committee president Vinay Kumar Sorake, former MP Jayaprakash Hegde, Coastal Development Authority chairman M A Gafoor, former MLA Gopal Poojary, Udupi Block Congress Committee president Ramesh Kanchan, Campaign Committee president Alevoor Harish Kini, Congress leaders Prasad Raj Kanchan, Hariprasad Rai, Veronica Cornelio, Vishwas Amin, Krishna Shetty Bajagoli, Dinesh Hegde Molahalli, Jyothi Hebbar, Prashanth Jattanna, Rajasekhar Kotyan and Roshni Oliver were among those present.

Kishan Hegde’s immediate organisational focus is expected to include strengthening contact with party workers and preparing the organisation for the upcoming local-body elections.