Battles lines are drawn for the Munugode Assembly bypoll even as the schedule is yet to be announced, but the Congress high command plans to nip dissidence in the party and bring together all warring factions at a meeting planned in New Delhi on August 23.
Party sources said the meeting has been called by AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, and Priyanka Gandhi is likely to attend.
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, TPCC Campaign Committee chairman Madhu Yaskhi Goud apart from a few leaders, including Nalgonda MP N.Uttam Kumar Reddy and Bhongir MP, Komatireddy Venkata Reddy have received the invitation to attend the meeting.
Though the meeting is primarily called to strategise for Munugode bypoll, the leaders are also likely to discuss the recent outbursts of seniors like Marri Shashidhar Reddy over the party functioning and a few other developments that are pricking the party that has become a bit robust in the past one year taking on the government quite strongly.
The TPCC leadership and other seniors will be asked to iron out their differences as the party stands a fair chance of grabbing Telangana from the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in the next polls, say sources, adding that leaders will be asked to check emotional outbursts and caustic remarks against their own party leaders in public.
The meeting to be attended by AICC in-charge for Telangana, Manickam Tagore will primarily focus on retaining the Munugode seat vacated by Congress MLA Rajgopal Reddy, who joined the BJP on Sunday while targeting the KCR administration.
Congress strongly believes that the grassroots workers still have faith in the party and have a good chance of winning the seat. The names of aspirants and their chances will also come up for discussion. “Though the participation of Ms. Priyanka Gandhi has not been informed to us so far, we know she has interest in Telangana,” a senior leader said.
Leader suspended
Telangana Congress suspends its Legal Cell chairman, Damodar Reddy from the party for alleged anti-party activities. TPCC working president Mahesh Kumar Goud issued orders to this effect on Sunday.
