The unusual political situation in the state is forcing party MPs to look for alternatives. It has also become a problem for the special emissaries deputed by Rahul Gandhi, who have been asked to suggest a panel of three names from each constituency.
The Telangana issue and the growing popularity of the YSR Congress in the state, has created a peculiar situation. In this context, no one is sure how long the ruling Lok Sabha members will remain in the party or whether they will seek tickets in the coming elections.
AICC general secretary and chairman of the party’s coordination committee Mr Rahul Gandhi, had deputed these special observers across the country with a task. Each observer was to tour a minimum of 10 Lok Sabha segments, talk to local leaders and then prepare a list of three names to be considered for party tickets in the next elections. Each observer was to submit a report directly to Mr Rahul Gandhi.
Recently, a Congress legislator from Maharashtra, Prashanth Thakur, toured a few LS constituencies in Telangana. Almost everywhere he was told by local leaders that if there was no decision on Telangana, the Congress would fail to get a single LS seat in the region. They also told him that it would be difficult for them to even contest elections.
One senior leader, who attended the meeting convened by the observer for Mahbubnagar and Nagarkurnool, told this newspaper that due to the political situation, party leaders were finding difficult to recommend names as sought by the observers.
Out of 42 Lok Sabha segments in the state, the Congress party has 31 sitting members to its credit. Of these, nine LS members are Union Ministers. Observers were clearly told by Mr Rahul Gandhi that they had to recommend names based on their ‘winning chances,’ popularity and performance.
The Telangana issue, coupled with the YSR Congress party and TRS openly encouraging defections from the Congress, left the observers puzzled over whether to include the sitting MP’s names on their list as they were not sure whether they would continue.
One senior leader, who attended the meeting convened by the observer for Mahbubnagar and Nagarkurnool constituencies, told this correspondent that due to the political situation in the state, party leaders were finding difficult to recommend names as sought by the observers. Out of 42 Lok Sabha segments in the state, the Congress party has 31 sitting members to its credit. Of these, nine LS members are Union Ministers. Observers were clearly told by Mr Rahul Gandhi that they had to recommend names based on their ‘winning chances,’ popularity and performance.
During his interaction with leaders, the party observer was told by Nalgonda district leaders that Mr Gutta Sukhender Reddy should be considered for re-nomination due to his popularity and performance as sitting MP, but that if no decision was made on Telangana it was most likely Mr Gutta would quit his membership as well as the party.