T Congress hopes for revival in Telangana shattered

Hyderabad: The proclamations of the Telangana Congress leaders including TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy over the party’s revival in the State, anticipating that the political strategist Prashant Kishor would join them, were shattered with the latter declining the offer made by the grand old party.

After TRS signed up the political consultancy I-PAC which was led by Prashant Kishor, the Telangana Congress leaders reacted rather hastily. In response to the subsequent meeting between Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and Prashant Kishor, the Telangana Congress leaders on Monday claimed that the election strategist met the Chief Minister only to sever ties with TRS.

While the Congress high command was yet to take a decision on the induction of Prashant Kishor into the party fold, TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy jumped to conclusions and went on declare that the day would come soon when he would be addressing a press conference in Hyderabad along with Prashant Kishor. He claimed that Prashant Kishor himself would ask voters to defeat TRS, despite the latter’s agreement with I-PAC. He said that Kishor would work with them to ensure defeat of the TRS in the State.

Just like Revanth Reddy, many others including Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, T Jagga Reddy and other senior Congress leaders too reacted on the issue and sounded confident that Prashant Kishor would join forces with them to help them revive the grand old party in Telangana.

The election strategist held talks with the AICC leadership to rejuvenate the grand old party. But the latter is said to have refused to give him a free hand, despite agreeing that the party needs a fresh face and strategy for the next general elections. The AICC had formed an empowered group of party leaders and wanted him to address political challenges ahead, after the roadmap presented by Prashant Kishor. As speculation was rife whether the strategist would join the empowered group, he announced his disinclination to join the party through a tweet.

In his tweet, Prashant Kishore said, “I declined the generous offer of #congress to join the party as part of the EAG & take responsibility for the elections. In my humble opinion, more than me the party needs leadership and collective will to fix the deep rooted structural problems through transformational reforms. (sic)”

I declined the generous offer of #congress to join the party as part of the EAG & take responsibility for the elections.

In my humble opinion, more than me the party needs leadership and collective will to fix the deep rooted structural problems through transformational reforms.

— Prashant Kishor (@PrashantKishor) April 26, 2022

The AICC too confirmed the same and appreciated his efforts as well as suggestions given to the party. The Congress appointed an Empowered Action Committee (2024) and invited him to join the group with defined responsibilities.

Following a presentation & discussions with Sh. Prashant Kishor, Congress President has constituted a Empowered Action Group 2024 & invited him to join the party as part of the group with defined responsibility. He declined. We appreciate his efforts & suggestion given to party.

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) April 26, 2022