Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president D.K. Shivakumar has said that the Congress in Karnataka had put an end to granting positions in the party through recommendations and would be identifying and grooming new-generation leaders.
Launching the Youth Congress Membership Campaign at R.N. Shetty Kalyan Mantap here on Saturday, Mr. Shivakumar said the focus was on building a cadre-based party now and all the activities and works of the office-bearers, from the booth level to the leaders, were being documented. “If any party member has to get a position, his or her work and sacrifice will be considered, and it will be decided through an internal election. As per the vision of the late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, if the country has to survive and prosper, more representation should be given to students, youngsters and women,” he said.
The KPCC president said that in order to strengthen the organisation of the party from the booth level, a mobile application — Praja Pratinidhi — was being developed and tested on a pilot basis in his constituency. “From the booth level, one can get various positions. Politics is like agriculture. If and only when one works at various levels can one get the crop named position. We have dropped the tradition of appointments through recommendations. At the booth level, a ‘digital youth’ will be appointed,” he said.
Mr. Shivakumar also said the party was where it was because of too much “individual worship”. “From here onwards, only those who do party worship will survive. From activists to leaders, the focus should be on strengthening the organisation. One should be a member and organiser first, and then a leader,” he said.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Mr. Shivakumar said that Hindutva was not any one person’s property; it was the property of the nation. “The country has more statues of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar than of Lord Sri Ram because he was the voice of the oppressed who were exploited and ill-treated for centuries. Now, the people of the country have started raising their voice against governments. If at all the Constitution of India has to be protected, agitation is inevitable. And everyone should be ready to fight,” he said.
Referring to the changing times and the need for the party to change, Mr. Shivakumar called on leaders and members to be amidst the people and become their voice. “Only those become the voice of the people will become leaders.”