Deputy CM DK Shivakumar instructs losing Congress candidates to prepare for 2028 Assembly polls

BENGALURU: Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Monday instructed all Congress candidates, who lost the 2023 election, to prepare for the stated elections to be held in 2028.

This directive comes after an internal survey indicated that 60 of the defeated Congress candidates are likely to win in the next Assembly elections. “As many as 60 candidates who lost the previous Assembly election are said to win in the coming election according to an internal survey. In this backdrop, we have asked our losing candidates to prepare for 2028”, Shivakumar stated while addressing a press conference following a meeting with the defeated candidates.

He further added that 86 candidates who lost the previous Assembly election were invited to the meeting, where their concerns were discussed. The defeated candidates were instructed to take a proactive approach in their efforts. “We invited 86 of our candidates who lost the previous election listened to their concerns and deliberated on the preparations for the local body elections and the 2028 elections. We have given clear instructions to the defeated candidates to be proactive. We are also preparing an action plan in consultation with the AICC on building the party in the remaining 20 constituencies”, he said.

ಮಾರ್ಚ್ 23 ರಿಂದ ಏಪ್ರಿಲ್ 1ರ ವರೆಗೆ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತರ ಸಭೆ.
– @DKShivakumar pic.twitter.com/4zKppL774N

— Karnataka Congress (@INCKarnataka) February 25, 2025

Furthermore, Shivakumar also revealed plans for another meeting involving both winning and losing candidates for the 2025 Lok Sabha elections. He emphasised the importance of the party’s losing candidates from 2023, acknowledging their contributions to party building.

“We will call for another meeting of winning and losing candidates of the Lok Sabha elections. The losing candidates of the 2023 elections have worked for party building, Lok Sabha elections and cooperative society elections. We have instructed the party to empower them and support them. The CM and I will fix a meeting with the losing candidates during the next session”, he added.

The Deputy CM further mentioned that he along with CM Siddaramaiah will be holding a series of meetings between March 23 and April 1, which will involve party workers and district in-charge ministers. If time permits, these meetings will begin earlier.

“The CM and I along with the district in-charge ministers will hold a meeting of the party workers from March 23 to April 1. We will allow the district in-charge ministers to hold these meetings if time permits before that. I have decided to meet party workers in 2-3 assembly constituencies every day to cover all the 28 constituencies”, he said.

Shivakumar also highlighted the message from All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, emphasising the dedication of the entire year to party building, and also assured that vacant positions within the party would be filled soon.

“As per the decision of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi to dedicate this entire year to party building, we will focus on organisation building this year. All the vacant positions will be filled soon,” he noted. Additionally, he further shared plans for the establishment of party offices in every constituency across Karnataka.

Also, he stated that they plan to invite Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in the first or second week of March to lay the foundation stone for the party offices. “We are planning to invite Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi in the first or second week of March to lay the foundation stone for the party offices. The physical event will be held in Bengaluru and party offices in other parts of Karnataka will be done virtually. The party offices are coming up on land granted by the government in some places and on private land parcels in some other places. The party office will not be built on land belonging to any individuals”, he said.

“Party leaders need to purchase the land and then donate it for the party office. I have purchased land and donated it to the party in Ramanagara. Our objective is to have a party office in each of the assembly constituencies”, he explained. (ANI)