Hariprasad picked to revive Cong ideology

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Newly appointed Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president B.K. Hariprasad has emerged as one of the Congress party's most trusted and ideologically rooted leaders in Karnataka. Known for his steadfast commitment to Congress values and his long political journey dating back to the era of Indira Gandhi, Hariprasad played a significant role during some of the party's most difficult phases, including the period when Indira Gandhi was out of power between 1977 and 1979. He also served as her chief election manager during her landmark Chikmagalur Lok Sabha by-election in 1978.

Hariprasad formally assumed charge as KPCC president at the Sankalpa Samavesha held at Palace Grounds in Bengaluru on Sunday. In a symbolic transition, outgoing KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar handed over the Congress tricolour to him in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar, and AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Reaffirming his commitment to the Congress, Hariprasad pledged to uphold the party's core principles of social justice, secularism, democracy, constitutionalism and empowerment of weaker sections.

His appointment comes at a crucial time as the Congress prepares for the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections and the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. More importantly, the choice of Hariprasad appears aimed at strengthening ideological discipline and organisational oversight within the party and the government in Karnataka.

At a time when ideological clarity is often seen as taking a back seat in the Congress, Hariprasad stands out as a leader firmly anchored in Gandhian and Nehruvian thought. His elevation is being viewed as a signal from Rahul Gandhi that the party intends to reconnect with its traditional ideological foundations. Hariprasad has consistently taken positions critical of the RSS and Hindutva politics, often voicing concerns when other Congress leaders appeared reluctant to do so.

His loyalty to Indira Gandhi is a defining aspect of his political career. Following the Congress split in 1978 and later when former Karnataka chief minister D. Devaraj Urs parted ways with Indira Gandhi, Hariprasad remained firmly by her side. At a time when several senior leaders across Karnataka and the national stage distanced themselves from Congress (I), he continued to back Indira Gandhi and witnessed her return to power in 1980.

A four-time Rajya Sabha member and currently serving his second term in the Karnataka Legislative Council, Hariprasad has held several key organisational positions, including AICC secretary, AICC general secretary and member of the Congress Working Committee under Sonia Gandhi. He handled party affairs in multiple states and was widely regarded as an indispensable organisational leader.

His role in rebuilding the Congress in Chhattisgarh after the 2013 Naxal attack that wiped out much of the state's leadership remains one of his notable contributions. He helped stabilise the party and played a key role in nurturing Bhupesh Baghel's rise to chief ministership in 2018.

Hariprasad's appointment as KPCC president is widely seen as both recognition of his decades of organisational service and a strategic move ahead of crucial electoral battles. As Karnataka assumes greater importance in the Congress's national revival plans, the party is banking on his experience, ideological conviction and organisational skills to lead the way.

Venkat Parsa is  

a senior journalist