Mission Karnataka: Rahul sets agenda for new AICC?team

New Delhi, May 3: Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi has set a three-point agenda to AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal and his team for Karnataka – spend more time in the state, forge unity among all leaders and retain power.

Venugopal and his team of four secretaries – Manickam Tagore, Madhu Yashki Goud and P C Vishnunadh had detailed discussions with Rahul on Tuesday morning before setting on ‘Mission Karnataka’. They also met Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the evening.

During the 90-minute meeting with Rahul, the team was apprised of the new approach of the AICC in dealing with the states. Venugopal and his team has been asked to spend maximum time in Karnataka to gear up the state unit for the Assembly elections next year.

Congress sources said the new team was asked to be in mission mode for the next year’s Assembly elections. “You just cannot go for a few days and touch some districts,” was the clear message from Rahul to the leaders.

“We have been given the mission to retain power in Karnataka,” Venugopal said in an informal interaction here.

He said he would visit Bengaluru along with his team of secretaries some time next week to meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, KPCC chief G Parameshwara and other leaders. Venugopal is also expected to allot districts to each of the four secretaries in a day or two.

Rahul also asked the new team to submit monthly reports about their work in the state.

Venugopal also met senior Congress leaders Motilal Vora, A K Antony and Mullapally Ramachandran, who is the chairman of the Central Election Authority of the party.

On Saturday, the Congresss high command had removed Digvijaya Singh as AICC general secretary incharge of Karnataka and appointed Venugopal in his place. Venugopal, who hails from Kerala, is a former Union minister.

Besides Venugopal, Sonia appointed four AICC secretaries Goud, Tagore, Vishnunadh and Sailajanath to supervise election preparations in Karnataka.

These appointments, according to AICC sources, signalled a strong message to the rank and file in the Karnataka to gear up for the state polls, which “would have to be won at all costs.”