Hyderabad
The appointment of MP Revanth Reddy as the Pradesh Congress Committee Chief may be a turning point in the Congress affairs of the Telangana state, but it is unlikely to instill the expected confidence in a non election season in the state which was formed under the Congress regime. The internal bickering within the party and the entries from yellow brigade of Telugu Desam into the Congress may not help the party immediately to challenge the ruling TRS or BJP in the next few months. The Congress party, though it gave statehood for Telangana amidst its rout in Andhra Pradesh, could not consolidate its position in two successive elections consequent to the formation of the 29th state of the country and its cadre almost deserted the party and joined the TRS in the subsequent years.
While the party emerged as an opposition by securing twenty plus seats in the 2018 elections, twelve among the elected shifted their loyalties to the TRS and it dampened the spirit of the cadre in majority of the 33 districts. There was talk that senior leaders of Congress were playing second fiddle to the ruling party in many parts and cadre went clueless when they tried to oppose what the the opposition term the anti-people policies of the existing government led by KCR.
Almost 70 per cent of the rural parts in the state spread across 33 districts went leaderless for the Congress party and since that precarious condition prevailed, many seniors also tried their chance in the ruling parties of the state and centre. However, the 2019 parliament elections boosted the morale of Congress by sending three parliament members from Telangana state.
It's all history now and subsequent bypolls have entailed the party to stay in the back benches with very few numbers in the poll percentages. Revanth Reddy, the present PCC chief was also elected as an MP from Malkajgiri constituency of the state and is regarded as the stiff opponent of the ruling party with his speeches and practice. But his selection attracted seniors' opposition initially. MP of Bhongir Komatireddi Venkat Reddy who also staked claim for the coveted post lashed out at the high command only to receive reprimands from the leadership.
The weeklong journey of PCC new chief Reventh Reddy meeting seniors and parleying with the disgruntled cadre somehow paved way for the emergence of a new Congress in Telangana, but the rush from the TDP into the Congress is some how sending wrong signals in many constituencies.
Senior leader Raji Reddy in Chennur Constituency of Adilabad district says the emergence of Congress as a formidable force may take a long time and until and unless it attracts the leaders from TRS or BJP, it may not succeed in challenging the TRS or the national ruling party with the expected verve.
