Laying the roadmap for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections, the extended executive meeting of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has invited former AICC chief Sonia Gandhi to contest from Telangana even as it has eyed a minimum of 12 seats.
Three resolutions
At the meeting chaired by TPCC president and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday, three resolutions were passed. This is the first meeting after the Congress rode to power defeating the BRS in the recent Assembly elections.
First resolution welcomed AICC in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi and the second one thanked former in-charge Manickrao Thakre for effectively working for the victory of the Congress party. The third one invited Ms. Sonia Gandhi to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Telangana.
Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Revanth Reddy said that the target for the Congress in LS polls was 17 seats and urged the party workers and cadre to see that it wins not less than 12 seats. The Chief Minister has decided to hold two-day meetings on January 8 and 9 with leaders of five districts each. From January 10 to 12, he would hold a meeting with the in-charges of 17 LS constituencies.
Mr. Reddy promised to visit the field after January 20. Taking a dig at BRS, Mr. Revanth Reddy said that despite losing the elections, the party has not learnt any lesson. “Even before a month has passed after the Congress came to power, the BRS is releasing booklets on the government,” he noted.
Targeting BJP chief G. Kishan Reddy, the Chief Minister wondered why the former was now demanding a CBI probe into Kaleshwaram LI project alleging irregularities. “We will surely order a judicial probe into the affairs,” he said, adding that the BRS and BJP were hand-in glove in the entire episode. Both the parties have looted in the name of Kaleshwaram project and rendered injustice to Palamuru irrigation project.
He promised to recognise the services of all those who worked hard for the party in the last one decade. “They will be rewarded shortly,” he said.
Stress on better coordination
Ms. Deepa Dasmunshi in her address has underscored the need for better coordination between the government and the party to achieve fruitful results.
Complimenting the party cadres for working hard to ensure Congress victory, he recalled that it was Ms. Sonia Gandhi who had given a separate State of Telangana. Ms. Dasmunshi wanted more team work among the leaders and cadres in view of future elections.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said that after a decade of struggle, the Congress party got a great opportunity to rule the State. He said that a feel good factor was now visible in the State and a feeling of winning freedom was witnessed everywhere, he noted. All those who worked hard for the party would get recognition.
Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the same enthusiasm needs to be witnessed in the run-up to the general elections. “BRS will further weaken ahead of the Lok Sabha elections and all the party cadres and leaders have to work hard to achieve better results,” he remarked.
The meeting was attended by TPCC working president Mahesh Kumar Goud, Ministers D. Sridhar Babu, C. Damodar Rajanarasimha, Konda Surekha, D. Seethakka, Jupally Krishna Rao, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar, former Minister K. Jana Reddy, former MP Madhu Yaskhi, AICC secretary Ch. Vamshichand Reddy, TPCC office bearers, DCC chiefs and heads of the frontal organisations.
