K C Venugopal : Final decision on new KPCC chief by May 31

Bengaluru: AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal on Thursday said that the final decision on who will be the next party chief will be known in two to three days.

Speaking to media persons, Venugopal dropped a hint that the party high command may prefer to maintain status quo and continue with incumbent G Parameshwara as KPCC chief adding that an appropriate decision on whether to appoint a new KPCC president or not will be taken by this month-end.

This apart, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to meet the party high command in New Delhi on May 29 to discuss whether to appoint a new KPCC president or allow Parameshwara to continue.

The chief minister had earlier recommended that Parameshwara, a Dalit, be replaced with a Lingayat leader. Senior party leader S R Patil and Water Resources Minister M B Patil (both Lingayats) are in the race for the top post.

Energy Minister D K Shivakumar, who is a Vokkaliga leader, is also aspiring to become the KPCC president. A section of Congress MLAs had recommended that the party make senior leader M Mallikarjun Kharge the state Congress chief.