'Karnataka Cong forms committee to screen leaders who wish to join the party': Shivakumar

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief DK Shivakumar informed that the party at the state level has constituted a committee to screen leaders who intend to join or return to the party and give its recommendations. Shivakumar said that the committee headed by Allam Virabhadrappa has been formed to discuss the inclusion of the leaders, and the leaders recommended by the committee would be discussed with other leaders and local level party workers.

Speaking to ANI Shivakumar said, "We do not need people who come to the party just for the sake of power. He or she must believe in the leadership of the party's ideology, Mrs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, and is willing to mingle with activists at taluka level."

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The Congress leader also hinted that some of the other party leaders want to join Congress and some leaders who have left the party want to return. He further said that there should be no trouble for the party after they rejoin. Loyalty to the party is important. The desire for power alone cannot add to the party. This is a long-standing idea. Thus the party ideology has to come to an agreement with the leadership of our High Command, he added.

"Many of those who have moved from our party want to return to Congress. I am not prepared to join such leaders with a unilateral decision. The issue needs to be discussed with all leaders and local leaders. A committee headed by former president and senior leader Allum Veerabhadrappa has been formed to look into the inclusion of leaders who want to return to the party," he said.

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Names will be discussed in consultation with other leaders: Shivakumar

''The final names will be discussed in consultation with other leaders after the names given by the committee,'' Shivakumar said. He also said that all party leaders should be careful not to make any statement about the internal affairs of the other party.

"We are not talking about what is happening in the other party. I have also suggested that our party leaders should be careful not to make any statement about the internal affairs of the other party. But some of those who want to join hands with Congress without any conditions have applied, and this application has been around for a long time. I have submitted these applications to the Committee," DK Shivakumar told ANI.

Adding further Shivakumar said leaders who enter Congress party should not only have a good relationship with top leaders but should have the ability to work with district and taluka leaders and workers. They must be the property of the party at the taluka level. Locally, they have been fighting each other for many years. Thus, leaders and followers who come to the party at this level must work in harmony.

He further said that HD Kumaraswamy has conveyed their party decision to Sonia Gandhi and party leadership over Rajya Sabha support to HD Devegowda, the party will take a decision soon.

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(With inputs from ANI)