Meenakshi Natarajan’s surprise visit to Adilabad raises eyebrows in Congress circles

AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan made a surprise visit to Indravelly, Adilabad, checking the implementation of welfare schemes and personally accompanying villagers to the Prajavani programme. Her move surprised local leaders amid ongoing padayatra-related tensions in Telangana Congress

Hyderabad: Stamping her authority on Telangana Congress affairs yet again, AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan made a surprise visit to Indravelly in Adilabad and interacted with tribals to enquire about the implementation of welfare and development programmes.

The AICC in-charge landed in Adilabad on Thursday night and visited Samaka village in Indravelly on Friday. She held a meeting with villagers and enquired about the welfare schemes.

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When a few villagers informed her that their names were not enrolled in different schemes, she personally accompanied them to the pilot Prajavani programme at Tahsildar Office, Indravelly. Written representations and applications were submitted to the officials at the programme, according to reports.

Save for TPCC vice president Athram Suguna and a few local leaders, not many leaders accompanied the AICC in-charge.

Interestingly, Meenakshi Natarajan’s visit not only took many leaders by surprise but caught others off guard. Sources at Gandhi Bhavan said many senior leaders were clueless about her visit to the State, especially Adilabad.

Ever since the news about AICC in-charge’s padayatra broke in the party, things have not been smooth between Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Meenakshi Natarajan.

During a meeting involving TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud and AICC in-charge at his residence on July 30, the Chief Minister raised strong “views” on the event. Though it was a close-door meeting, party sources said there was a spat between the Chief Minister and the AICC in-charge.

Despite the verbal duel, Natarajan asserted that the padayatra was being conducted as per party high command’s decision and insisted that everyone had to oblige.

The first phase of padayatra commenced on July 31 and was to continue till August 9. However, it was rescheduled with a three-day break as the Chief Minister led a party delegation to stage a protest at New Delhi on 42 per cent reservations to BCs.

Though the padayatra was to resume on August 8, it has been postponed till August 24. Interestingly, the TPCC president claimed that the padayatra was being led by him and the AICC in-charge was accompanying the leaders.

While a section of leaders tried to dismiss Meenakshi Natarajan’s surprise visit as a mere party affair as the Political Affairs Committee meeting is scheduled on Saturday, others feel there was much more behind it.

“It is a clear indication that the party high command calls the shots. The AICC in-charge has been given a free hand to set a few things right here,” a senior leader from Gandhi Bhavan said.