Mangaluru: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has appointed senior Billawa leader and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) general secretary Padmaraj R Poojary as the new president of the Dakshina Kannada District Congress Committee.
Poojary, who was the Congress candidate from Dakshina Kannada in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, has been entrusted with the responsibility of leading the party organisation in the district. His appointment is part of a larger organisational exercise undertaken by the AICC across Karnataka.
The appointment order was issued by AICC general secretary K C Venugopal. The party has announced district Congress presidents for 35 districts across the state as part of its ongoing organisational restructuring.
Appointment under Sanghatan Srujana Abhiyan
The appointments have been made under the Congress party’s ‘Sanghatan Srujana Abhiyan’, an initiative aimed at strengthening the party organisation at the grassroots level.
According to the party, AICC observers assigned to individual districts conducted detailed reviews and consulted party office-bearers and other stakeholders before submitting comprehensive reports to the central leadership.
The reports formed the basis for selecting district presidents. The AICC said the process took into account feedback from different sections of the party organisation while identifying suitable leaders for the district-level posts.
The party also stated that individual consultations would be held with candidates following submission of the observers’ reports, along with discussions with senior leaders before the appointments were finalised.
Poojary takes charge of district organisation
Poojary’s appointment gives him a key organisational responsibility in Dakshina Kannada, where the Congress has been working to strengthen its support base and district-level structure.
A senior leader from the Billava community, Poojary has been active in the Congress organisation and currently serves as KPCC general secretary. He had represented the Congress in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Dakshina Kannada.
The district Congress president plays an important role in coordinating party activities, strengthening booth- and block-level structures, engaging with local leaders and office-bearers, and overseeing organisational programmes across the district.
With the latest appointments, the Congress leadership is expected to focus on improving coordination between district units and the state leadership. The organisational exercise is also aimed at preparing the party machinery for future political activities and elections.
Focus on organisational strengthening
The ‘Sanghatan Srujana Abhiyan’ reflects the party’s emphasis on reviewing and strengthening its organisational network. The consultation-based process is intended to provide the central leadership with feedback from the ground before key district-level appointments are made.
For Dakshina Kannada, Poojary’s appointment places the responsibility of steering the district Congress organisation on a leader who has held a senior position in the KPCC and recently contested a major electoral battle.
The new district president will be responsible for working with senior leaders, elected representatives, office-bearers, block and booth-level functionaries and various party wings to strengthen the organisation across Dakshina Kannada.
The appointment is expected to bring renewed focus to party activities in the district, with the Congress leadership looking to build a more coordinated and active organisational network.
The announcement of district presidents for 35 districts marks a significant step in the party’s organisational restructuring in Karnataka. With the new appointments in place, attention will now turn towards strengthening district units and implementing the organisational priorities identified during the review process.