Bengaluru: Former Minister and Veteran Congress leader S.R. Patil is likely to be appointed as the new KPCC President in place of Dr. G. Parameshwara, who also holds the Home portfolio in the State Cabinet. Patil, a prominent Lingayat Community leader from North Karnataka, is a top contender for the KPCC President Post.

Patil, a non-controversial leader, is said to be a favourite of Chief Minister Siddharamaiah for the post.

Although the Congress High Command was considering many other names such as D.K. Shivkumar, M.B. Patil, K.H. Muniyappa and  Dinesh Gundu Rao, it has finalised the name of S.R. Patil for the post, it is learnt.

Several top Congress leaders had lobbied hard for the post.

Patil, who served as a Minister in the Siddharamaiah Cabinet, was dropped in a major Cabinet reshuffle last year.