For the third time in a row, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President- designate D K Shivakumar will have to postpone his oath taking ceremony.

The state government on Tuesday (9 June) refused permission for the conduct of any such event in the state owing to the pandemic.

The party had been without a state president since its dismal performance in the state bypolls in December last year, after which the sitting party chiefs had resigned.

But as crisis struck Madhya Pradesh Congress, which was also awaiting office-bearers, the party pulled up its socks and fixed its party chairs down south.

The Congress high command picked D K Shivakumar as its chief on 11 March. A grand swearing-in was said to have been planned at the end of March.

But since lockdown and the pandemic changed everything in the country 24 March onwards, the same has been pending ever since.

Two dates had been announced earlier — 31 May and 7 June. But since the lockdown was on during both, they had to be postponed.

Recently, the troubleshooter of the party had sought permission for 150 members to gather at the party headquarters and at the gram panchayat levels, where the swearing-in would be telecast.

On 5 June, Shivakumar wrote a letter seeking the same and looked forward to finally holding the event on 14 June. But that too will have to wait now, as the state government, citing the orders of the Ministry of Home Affairs that prohibits any public gathering other than marriages and funerals, has denied the party the permission to hold any such rally.

The letter mentions that the order from the ministry only permits 50 people for marriages and 20 people for funerals and has not granted permission for the conduct of any social, political, cultural, academic, religious functions and congregations.

Karnataka Congress though has called it ‘vendetta politics’ by the BJP government. Shivakumar retweeted the same, echoing the sentiment.

Shivakumar had announced grand plans of the conduct of the ceremony, which he has said, would be a ‘unique programme’ held in every gram panchayat.

“I will exchange the baton, light a lamp and sing Vande Mataram. Simultaneously, at some 7,200 locations, party workers will join me. We will also recite the Preamble of the Constitution and an oath will be administered,” said Shivakumar, earlier, as reported.

But all the paraphernalia of the proposed ‘Prathijna Dina’ will now have to wait.