Congress Mulls Political Affairs Committee to Bridge Government-Party Coordination Gap in Karnataka

Bengaluru, Sep 19: The Congress high command is considering the formation of a Political Affairs Committee in Karnataka to address growing friction between the state government and the party organisation and ensure greater coordination on key political and policy decisions.

The proposed committee assumes significance amid reported differences between Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and KPCC president B K Hariprasad. The party leadership is keen to prevent differences between the government and the organisation from escalating into an open internal confrontation.

According to party sources, the proposed panel is likely to include representatives from both the government and the Congress organisation. Major decisions concerning the government and the party could be discussed in the committee before being taken forward.

The move is also aimed at establishing a formal coordination mechanism between the Chief Minister and the KPCC president at a time when the Congress is preparing to strengthen its organisational structure from the booth level ahead of the next Assembly elections.

The high command's intervention comes amid increased organisational activity within the Karnataka Congress. The party has already undertaken changes, including the appointment of new district presidents, as part of efforts to strengthen its organisational machinery.

The proposed committee could also provide a platform to address differences among various factions and prevent reported tensions between the camps led by D K Shivakumar and B K Hariprasad from developing into a wider organisational dispute.

The Congress leadership is understood to be keen that the government and the party organisation work in tandem, particularly on decisions with political implications, rather than functioning on separate tracks.

The proposal has been placed before the high command for consideration. Its final approval, composition and mandate are yet to be decided.

The move comes at a politically sensitive juncture for the Karnataka Congress, which is seeking to balance the functioning of the government with efforts to rebuild and strengthen its organisational machinery ahead of future electoral battles.