Internal rift in Telangana Congress over TPCC chief comes out in the open

Internal rifts in the Telangana Congress have surfaced with a TV channel campaign branding TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud as ineffective. Party insiders suspect Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy’s involvement, linking the attack to caste politics and upcoming Assembly elections.

Hyderabad: Internal differences within the Telangana Congress have spilled into the open with a malicious campaign targetting the TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud being unleashed on a TV channel known to have a complete pro-Congress slant.

The TV channel ran at least two programmes so far on social media platforms also branding Mahesh Kumar as an ‘ineffective’ leader and the title of the programme itself was ‘Disaster’ President. The TV reports, which spare no words to run down Mahesh Kumar have become a discussion point among the Congress workers.

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Incidentally, the campaign target is right now abroad and has been away for the past ten days and those in the know of things suspect that the brain behind the campaign was none other than the Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. The impact was such that a section of Congress leaders believe that Mahesh Kumar Goud, hailing from the BC community was now being targetted by upper caste leaders.

Party sources point out that the reason for the sudden diatribe against Mahesh Goud could be his strong pitch for making a BC leader as the next Chief Minister in Telangana. The demand gained prominence after the Congress government failed to implement its promise of providing 42 percent reservation for BCs in local bodies.

Mahesh Kumar Goud took charge as TPCC president in September 2024 and is expected to continue in the role until 2027, in line with the party’s three-year term for the position.

Some Congress leaders, however, believe the developments are linked to political calculations ahead of the next Assembly elections. They argue that attempts are being made to weaken Goud’s image and replace him with a leader perceived to be closer to the Chief Minister’s camp.

Party insiders also claim that, to avoid criticism over removing a BC leader, the leadership could consider appointing another BC leader like Anil Kumar Yadav as the next TPCC president. Such a move, they say, could be used to counter allegations of anti-BC bias within the party.

Meanwhile, AICC OBC National Coordinator Katthi Venkat Swamy defended Mahesh Kumar Goud’s leadership. He stated that district, divisional and mandal-level committees in the party had been strengthened after Goud assumed office. He also said that Goud, in coordination with AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, had been effectively managing party affairs in the State.

Venkat Swamy alleged that efforts to portray Goud as a failed leader ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections were part of a larger conspiracy. Replacing him at this stage, he warned, could damage the party’s prospects in the State like in Assam and alienate BC leaders within the Congress.