After 8 years of Dalit leadership, this Brahmin stalwart likely to head KPCC

Bengaluru, Jun 10: Amidst the hurly burly in Karnataka politics, former minister Dindesh Gundu Rao has all of a sudden emerged front runner to head the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).

After becoming deputy chief minister, Dalit leader and educationist G Parameshwara had decided to quit as KPCC president, a post he has held for a record eight years. 

Rumours were doing rounds that Vokkaliga stalwart D K Shivakumar would replace him as KPCC chief. However, after the latter secured double portfolios in chief minister H D Kumaraswamy led coalition government, the high command reportedly decided to Rao to the post of fulltime president.
 
Rao, son of former chief minister R Gundu Rao, has been elected to the Legislative Assembly from Gandhinagar constituency in Bengaluru for the fifth time. He also has served as a Minister in the Siddaramaiah government and had been the president of the youth wing of the KPCC. 

On Saturday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi and held discussions about the party affairs in the State.

Rao, who has made a mark in the party with his organisational skills and clean image, enjoys the confidence of all the top leaders within the party, including the old guard. However, caste factor is being seen as a constraint for Mr. Rao’s appointment as he belongs to the numerically weak Brahmin community. The 48-year-old holds a bachelor of engineering degree in electronics and communications.