TPCC president: Delhi to decide, not Hyderabad, as Revanth’s clout wanes

The Congress high command appears to have a different view on the recommendations made by Revanth Reddy

Hyderabad: The delay in the appointment of a new president for the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has exposed the widening rift between the State leadership and the party high command in Delhi.

The State leadership, read Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, had visited New Delhi multiple times to finalise the TPCC president appointment. However, the high command appears to have a different view on the recommendations made by Revanth Reddy. The fact that Rahul Gandhi did not meet Revanth Reddy and his team during the last couple of visits to New Delhi reflects the situation. A few times, Revanth Reddy had to meet other AICC leaders and returned without any assurance from the high command over his recommendations, including those on the Cabinet expansion.

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In the last week’s two-day trip to New Delhi though, he met AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi and returned on Saturday morning. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who accompanied him, returned later in the evening. The State leadership is learnt to have suggested the names of former union Minister Balram Naik and MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud to the high command. However, Campaign Committee chairman Madhu Yaskhi Goud was also among serious contenders for the post. Considering the fact that Madhu Yaskhi Goud has good contacts in the high command and has been actively involved in the AICC affairs, the local leadership is not keen on elevating him to the post. This could pave way for creating dual power centres in the State unit, which could deter the Chief Minister’s plans to further take control of the party and call the shots, party insiders revealed.

Further, Mahesh Kumar Goud has already been made a Member of the Legislative Council. The party high command is of the opinion that offering the TPCC post to him could trigger unrest among others. This apart, there are a few other factors behind the high command taking its time in making announcements regarding the PCC and cabinet expansion, the insiders say.

After the Lok Sabha elections results were declared, the high command was not happy with the State leadership’s performance. The BJP wining eight MP seats and increasing its vote share to nearly 33 percent in Telangana did not go down well with the high command. Likewise, there was dissent among leaders during the filling up of many nominated posts. Telangana Mahila Congress wing president Sunitha Rao had staged protests in New Delhi charging that 33 percent reservation for women was not being followed in filling up the posts.

With unrest brewing within the party, and Revanth Reddy trying to have his way with running the party here, it is learned that the high command wants to convey to him that affairs in the national party are decided at Delhi, and not by him.