Congress to remote control state bypolls

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For the first time, the Congress central leadership is deputing over half-a-dozen special observers to oversee the bypolls to the 18 Assembly and Nellore Lok Sabha constituencies in the state, to ensure an impressive show for the party at the hustings. The party leadership has resolved to effectively face the challenge thrown by YSR Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy, and is targeting to win at least half-a-dozen assembly seats in the Seemandhra region, so as to boost the sagging morale of the party.

In principle, the AICC would directly supervise the entire bypolls campaign through a set of special observers, comprising senior MPs, former PCC chiefs, former AICC office-bearers and former central ministers drawn from other states. The overall supervision will be done by Union minister Vayalar Ravi, who shouldered the responsibility three days ago, air-dashing to the state capital. He has already had a round of discussions with senior party leaders and party cadre, gauging the pulse of the state’s Congressmen. The names of K.Y. Tangabalu and Ramesh Chennitala, TN and Kerala PCC chiefs respectively, are doing the rounds for the role of special observers.

Clearly, the AICC wants to de-link the state party leadership from the overall responsibility as the central leadership is wary of the possibility that internal squabbles, centering mainly around the CM and the PCC chief, might further dent the party’s image. Each special observer will be allotted three Assembly segments, and one observer will be exclusively for the Nellore Lok Sabha segment.

The special observers will keep reviewing the situation daily during the electioneering, including the arranging and distribution of the finances to the candidates, the election campaign, poll-related developments and the overall strategies as the campaign progresses. They will monitor the situation with the help of the coordination panels appointed by the AICC recently. The observers would keep a vigil on the Congress leaders belonging to respective segments, on the extent of their participation and involvement in the campaign.