After 3-month wait, DK Shivakumar to take over as Karnataka Congress Committee President

D.K. Shivakumar is all set to take the oath as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President after waiting for nearly three months. Shivakumar will take over as the state party president on Thursday at a virtual oath-taking ceremony that will be streamed live for party leaders and cadres across the state. The event will take place at the party office from 10.30 am following all the lockdown guidelines that restrict the gathering of more than 50 people, according to agencies.

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The event will commence by paying tribute to 20 Indian soldiers martyred at the Galwan valley clash on June 15, followed by 'Vande Mataram'. President Saleem Ahmed will address the gathering with his welcome speech and party's flag will be exchanged from Dinesh Gundu Rao to Shivakumar. KC Venugopal will deliver the inaugural speech, followed by Gundu Rao, Shivakumar, Kharge, Siddaramaiah, party's leader in Legislative Council S.R. Patil and Working Presidents Eshwar Khandre and Satish Jharkiholi.

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The 58-year-old Congress leader was appointed as the state party president on March 11, but could not take charge since then, due to the ongoing Coronavirus lockdown. Shivakumar's appointment came three months after Gundu Rao resigned on December 9 following the party's collapse in the assembly by-elections on December 5.

As Shivakumar takes over, hundreds of party leaders and cadres will join the programme virtually from 7,800 places across the state through live streaming, as per the Congress.

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(Image Credit PTI)