Priyank Kharge got a rousing reception in Kalaburagi as Home Minister

A procession is underway in Kalaburagi to welcome home minister Priyank Kharge during his first visit to his home district on Sunday after assuming office in the DK Shivakumar-led government. | Photo credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Home Minister Priyank Kharge on Sunday received a rousing reception on his first visit to his home district of Kalaburagi after taking charge in the cabinet led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Mr. Kharge, who earlier held the portfolios of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, Information Technology and Biotechnology, now heads the Home Department in addition to Information Technology and Biotechnology.

Hundreds of Congress leaders, party workers, Youth Congress members and supporters gathered to welcome him.

His motorcade was taken in a grand procession through the city, with residents lining the roads and supporters showering flower petals as he passed through major intersections decorated with Congress flags and banners.

The procession started from Nagareshwara School in Gunj, where Mr. Kharge traveled in an open-top vehicle before boarding a flower-decked truck along with senior party leaders for the procession to the District Congress Committee office.

MLA Allamprabhu Patil, MLC Thippannappa Kamaknoor and Jagadev Guttedar, Kalaburagi Urban Development Authority Chairman Mazhar Alam Khan and GESCOM Chairman Praveen Patil Harwal were among those who accompanied the minister.

Addressing party workers after being felicitated at the Congress office, Mr. Kharge expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and thanked AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, party leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi for entrusting him with the responsibility.

“Outside, I may be Home, Information Technology and e-Governance Minister. But once I enter the Congress office, I will remain an ordinary party worker,” he said.

Highlighting the achievements of the previous Congress government, Mr. Kharge said around ₹1,400 crore was mobilized as revenue at the gram panchayat level, while ₹1,600 crore was spent on drinking water projects.

He said that adequate grants were released to the gram panchayats based on their population.

He also claimed that the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department has earned appreciation for its performance from the Contractors Association, Panchayat Development Officers Association and even the Union Government. Karnataka has emerged as the leading state of the country in the information technology and biotechnology sector, he added.

Mr Kharge said the state government had sanctioned ₹350 crore for the proposed textile park, released ₹640 crore as compensation to farmers and started recruitment of 7,000 police personnel.

“These achievements are not mine alone. They were possible because the people elected me and gave me the opportunity to serve them,” he said.

Published – 05 Jul 2026 21:10 IST