 "Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara offers to resign as Congress prepares for 2018 polls")
Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara on Thursday offered to resign after he had been instructed by Congress high command to do so.
Parameshwara said that he will hand over his resignation letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
On Wednesday, Congress said it had asked Parameshwara to quit the state cabinet and devote himself to his duties as the Karnataka party president.
“He (Parameshwara) will continue to be the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president and will devote his full time and energy in discharging responsibilities of the party president, he will resign from the state cabinet immediately,” an AICC statement released by party general secretary Janardan Dwivedi had said.
Gearing up for the Assembly polls due next year, the party restructured its state unit while accommodating all castes and sections.
“The Congress president and vice-president have decided that the coming election of the state will be fought under the leadership of K Siddharamaiah, the present chief minister of Karnataka,” Dwivedi had further said.
Parameshwara will devote all his time and energy to the party affairs and will resign from the state cabinet immediately.
The statement had also said that SR Patil has been appointed as the working president of KPCC along with present working president Dinesh Gundurao. While Gundurao will take care of the party affairs in southern Karnataka, Patil will take care of northern Karnataka.
The party also appointed DK Shivakumar, a minister in the state government, as chairman of the campaign committee for the coming elections.
Top Congress leaders from Karnataka on Monday had met Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi to discuss the party’s strategy ahead of next year’s assembly election in the state.
Sources said all senior party leaders from the state including Siddharamaiah and Parameshwara were present during the meeting. The issue of strengthening the organisation ahead of 2018 assembly polls was also discussed but no decision could be taken to replace the PCC chief.
Karnataka is likely to go to polls in May next year.
With inputs from agencies
 "BJP, Congress, and other parties declare income. Who made the most?")
 "Rajya Sabha election: Where do parties stand after cross-voting?")
 "What’s the ‘Khalistani’ remark row haunting Bengal’s Sandeshkhali now?")
 "This Week in Explainers: Will recession in UK, Japan hit daily living?")
 "BJP, Congress, and other parties declare income. Who made the most?")
 "Rajya Sabha election: Where do parties stand after cross-voting?")
 "What’s the ‘Khalistani’ remark row haunting Bengal’s Sandeshkhali now?")
 "This Week in Explainers: Will recession in UK, Japan hit daily living?")