Party posts only for those who work on the ground: Dy CM

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said that the Congress party would reward only those party workers who sincerely work on the ground, not those who lobby with leaders in Bengaluru. Speaking to reporters before departing for New Delhi, Shivakumar stated that the Congress needs people who work at the taluk level, not those who hover around senior leaders in Bengaluru.

"If we grant positions of power, they must yield results. We will prioritise leaders who work on the ground and deliver results,” he added. According to him, the list of Congress office-bearers is ready, but it is not submitted to the High Command just yet. "We need to replace those who are not keen on these roles. We need people who can work round the clock on the ground. There is no point in appointing someone due to influence or pressure," the Congress state president said. Shivakumar added that the Congress high command has explicitly instructed the state unit to prioritise those willing to work hard.

He also mentioned that the party is giving priority to women in light of the reservation policy. "We are taking ministers' feedback on this, and the list will be finalised this week,” Shivakumar said. Regarding his visit to Delhi, Shivakumar stated, “I had raised issues related to the state's irrigation projects with Union Water Resources Minister C R Patil during a recent meeting of state irrigation ministers in Rajasthan.

"The Union Minister has given me time to discuss these concerns, and hence, the visit," he explained. Shivakumar, who holds the Water Resources portfolio, said that officers from the Irrigation Department have already held preliminary meetings with officials from the Union Water Resources Ministry in New Delhi.