Congress leader B.K. Hariprasad with former KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar in Delhi on June 1, 2026.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Veteran Congress leader and MLC B.K. Hariprasad, 72, has been appointed the next president of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), the All India Congress Committee (AICC) said in an official announcement.
If appointed, Mr. Hariprasad will succeed D.K. Shivakumar, who is set to assume office as Karnataka’s new Chief Minister on Wednesday (June 3, 2026) evening at Lok Bhavan. Reports suggest that MPs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi spoke to Mr. Hariprasad and proposed his name for the post.
Vocal critic of Modi govt
Mr. Hariprasad currently serves as an MLC, and his term is scheduled to end this month. He is known as a vocal critic of the Narendra Modi-led government, the BJP, and the RSS. He has also served as a Rajya Sabha member and held several positions within the AICC.
Belonging to the Billava community (OBC), Hariprasad was born on July 29, 1954. Prominent leaders Janardhana Poojary and S. Bangarappa, who also belonged to the Billava community and served as KPCC presidents, hailed from Karnataka’s coastal and Malnad regions, respectively.
Mr. Hariprasad was the United Opposition’s candidate for the post of Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha but lost to Harivansh Narayan Singh of the NDA.
He also contested the 1999 Lok Sabha election from Bengaluru South and was defeated by BJP leader and former Union Minister the late Ananth Kumar.
Former Minister Satish Jarkiholi had also been lobbying for the KPCC president’s post, but appears to have lost out to Mr. Hariprasad.
Published – June 03, 2026 11:53 am IST
