In an effort to grab the first-mover advantage ahead of the forthcoming polls to the Legislative Assembly in Karnataka, the Congress leadership has decided to hear out leaders of the state unit on strategies to strengthen the party and iron out their differences. Sources in the party said the high command has decided to start preparations well ahead of the polls, unlike in 2008 when the state unit was caught napping and finished with 80 seats. Central leaders were also keen to end the six year-long period when non-Congress governments reigned in Karnataka.
With this in mind, Congress president Sonia Gandhi will begin meeting a host of leaders individually beginning August 17 (Friday), top sources told Deccan Chronicle. The sources said prominent among state unit leaders scheduled to meet Mrs Gandhi were Lingayat strongman and veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa who has been demanding that he should be the man to replace Dr G. Parameshwar as president of the Pradesh Congress Committee, amid reports he may settle for the post of working president. The others who will meet the top brass to discuss issues pertaining to the revival of fortunes of the Congress in the state include former Union minister C.K. Jaffer Sharief and former MP, H. Hanumantappa.