Congress appoints observers, forms committees for Davanagere and Bagalkot bypolls

Bengaluru : The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) has intensified preparations for the upcoming by-elections to the Davanagere South and Bagalkot Assembly constituencies by appointing observers and forming dedicated supervisory committees for both seats.

KPCC president D. K. Shivakumar has constituted two separate committees comprising 16 leaders each to oversee campaign planning, coordination and election strategy in the constituencies. The move comes as the party gears up to retain both seats in the impending bypolls expected to be announced soon by the Election Commission.

The Davanagere South seat fell vacant following the demise of senior Congress leader and former minister Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Similarly, the Bagalkot Assembly constituency became vacant after the death of former minister V. S. Meti.

For the Davanagere by-election, Congress leader Manjunath Bhandary has been appointed as the convenor of the supervisory committee. The panel includes district in-charge minister S. S. Mallikarjun along with several cabinet ministers and senior party leaders.

Key members of the Davanagere committee include ministers K. H. Muniyappa, Zameer Ahmed Khan, Eshwar Khandre, Krishna Byre Gowda, Sharan Prakash Patil, Priyank Kharge, Lakshmi Hebbalkar, Santosh Lad and Madhu Bangarappa.

Other members include Legislative Council chief whip Salim Ahmed, MLA and former minister Tanveer Sait, former MLC V. R. Sudarshan, and former ministers H. M. Revanna and H. Anjaneya.

For the Bagalkot Assembly by-election, KPCC working president Vasanth Kumar has been appointed as the convenor of the supervisory committee. District in-charge minister R. B. Thimmapur is also part of the panel.

Other prominent members include ministers Satish Jarkiholi, M. B. Patil, Shivanand Patil, Shivaraj Tangadagi, Sharanabasappa Darshanapur, Bairati Suresh and Rahim Khan.

MLAs and party leaders including C. S. Nadagouda, former minister Rajashekhar Patil, MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar, MLC F. H. Jakkappanavar, MLC Basanagouda Badarli and former MLC Somanna Bevinamarad have also been included in the committee.

The Congress leadership believes that early organisational preparation and coordination among senior leaders will strengthen the party’s chances in the by-elections. Party sources said the committees will oversee booth-level mobilisation, candidate coordination and campaign strategy in both constituencies.