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Doddalahalli Kempegowda Shivakumar, popularly known as DKShi and a Vokkaliga strong man, has been appointed Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president.
Shivakumar is known in Congress party circles as a strategist. He was elected to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly from Kanakapura and has been a member of the cabinet under SM Krishna, Siddaramaiah and in the Congress-JDS coalition government headed by HD Kumaraswamy.
Shivakumar, shot to national fame when he took care of Gujarat Congress MLAs by housing them at a private resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru thereby helping AICC leader Ahmed Patel to win the Rajya Sabha seat in 2017. He also had ensured his brother’s victory in 2019 Lok Sabha elections despite Congress being wiped out in the entire State.
Political career
Shivakumar kick-started his political career when he defeated former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda in 1989 from the then Sathanur assembly constituency. Later in 1999, he defeated HD Kumaraswamy and Kumaraswamy’s wife Anitha in Sathanur.
He is among the richest politicians in Karnataka. The Income Tax (I-T) department has searched his residence in connection with alleged tax irregularities on earlier occassions, and after the collapse of the Cong-JDS coalition government, he was in Tihar Jail for his alleged role in money laundering and income tax evasion cases. He was released from the jail on October 24, 2019 following the Delhi High Court order granting him bail.
He termed the charges “baseless and politically motivated” and accused the BJP government at the Centre of framing him on false charges.
Other office-bearers
AICC Gen secretary KC Venugopal in a press note said Congress President has appointed PCC president and working presidents forKPCC. Working presidents are Eashwar Khandre, Satish Jharkiholi and Saleem Ahammed.
Along with State-level office-bearers, the Congress party has appointed chief whips for Indian National Congress in Karnataka: M Narayanaswamy, MLC for Karnataka Legislative Council; and Ajay Singh, MLA for Karnataka Legislative Assembly. As announced earlier Siddaramaiah, former chief minister will continue as the CLP leader and Leader of Opposition.
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