District leaders upset at Congress for insisting on ‘one family, one post’ rule in Telangana

Several Telangana Congress leaders aspiring to become DCC presidents are upset with the leadership for enforcing the ‘one family, one position’ rule and other eligibility norms. They allege selective implementation of the party’s Udaipur Declaration and fear favouritism in appointments

Hyderabad: Several district-level leaders aspiring to become District Congress Committee (DCC) presidents are reportedly unhappy with the Telangana Congress leadership for insisting on strict adherence to the ‘one family, one position’ rule and other eligibility norms that were rarely followed in the past.

Appointments to DCCs and other organisational positions have been pending for some time. To expedite the process, AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud and senior leaders have been holding meetings with district-level aspirants.

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At these meetings, the aspirants were clearly told to comply with conditions such as having at least five years of continuous affiliation with the party and maintaining a clean disciplinary record. Those failing to meet these criteria would see their applications rejected by AICC examiners.

Existing DCC presidents would not be allowed to seek a second term, nor would relatives of sitting public representatives be eligible to contest for the post. The party has also decided to prioritise SC, ST, BC, women and minority candidates for the DCC roles. Telangana Congress leaders further cautioned aspirants against holding any secret meetings with AICC examiners.

However, party sources said several district-level leaders have objected to these conditions, questioning why such norms were not implemented when allotting tickets for Assembly and Parliament elections or other key positions in the State.

Citing examples such as Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and his brother and Nagarkurnool MP Mallu Ravi; Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy and his wife and Kodad MLA N Padmavathi; Labour Minister G Vivek Venkatswamy and his son and Peddapalli MP G Vamshi Krishna; and Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and his brother and Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, the leaders reportedly questioned the selective enforcement of the Congress party’s Udaipur Declaration norms.

“When senior leaders in the party can violate the rules and secure multiple posts, it is not fair for the State leadership to impose these restrictions on district leaders,” a senior aspirant for a DCC president post remarked.

There are also fears among grassroots leaders that, under the guise of enforcing these rules, recent entrants to the party could be given preference.

“Many leaders are facing disciplinary charges at the district level, but that should not be used as a reason to sideline them. They have been loyal to the party and have opposed the red carpet treatment to defectors from other parties. The leadership should take this into account,” a BC wing leader observed.