Feud in Telangana Congress: High command to set up mechanism

A section of Congress leadership in Telangana is learnt to be unhappy with Reddy’s style of functioning. “The positive aspect is that despite all the differences, more than 30 leaders sat together and spent three or four hours with Rahul Gandhi,” a senior leader said. “The concerns of some will be heard by him and for others…it will be sorted out with a new mechanism. The goal and objective for the party today is to fight unitedly and create that impression.”

Asked about the mechanism, he said a “committee-type thing of senior leaders” will be set up.
Some senior state leaders, including Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, MLA D Sridhar Babu and senior leader and former Rajya Sabha member V Hanumantha Rao, are said to be unhappy with Reddy’s functioning.

“Individuals have major differences. The communication is not proper. That is why this meeting,” another leader said.

Telangana Congress working president T Jayaprakash Reddy (Jagga Reddy) has openly criticised Revanth Reddy.

Monday’s meeting was attended by Revanth Reddy, AICC general secretary in charge of organisation K C Venugopal and AICC in charge of the state, Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore.

The tug of war in the Congress in Telangana deepened after the party’s disastrous showing in Huzurabad by-elections last November.

Although Assembly elections are due next year end, the Congress central leadership wants to set the house in order and start preparations as early as possible. It is planning to rope in poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu to design its strategy and campaign.

Rahul Gandhi has asked the leaders to work unitedly, an advice he gives in all such meetings.