NIZAMABAD: While ‘Shakthi app’, the Congress’ in-house application for mobile communication, has made it easy for booth-level activists contact senior leaders, it is also causing, at least according to some leaders in erstwhile Nizamabad district, delays in the allocation of tickets. Speaking to Express, a party leader claimed that Congress high-command was giving tickets to leaders on the basis of surveys and feedback given by ground-level activists and this was the root of all the delay. “Tickets used to be allotted by senior leaders in the region and his/her decision was final. It was a simple exercise. Now, due to the new process, the whole thing is getting delayed,” he said.
Congress conundrum
Even the most loyal and optimistic Congress leader in the region would admit that the party is in need of figureheads in erstwhile Nizamabad district. While Congress senior leaders in most regions of Telangana can continue depending on senior leaders who can dictate terms to the cadre, it cannot do the same in Nizamabad - there just aren’t many senior leaders left here.
In the recent past, the Congress had stalwarts in the region - S Santhosh Reddy, D Srinivas, KR Suresh Reddy, Bajireddy Govershan. Santosh Reddy has retired from active politics due to poor health. KR Suresh Reddy, a former speaker in united AP and four time MLA from Balkonda, recently defected to TRS. also took loyal supporters with him to the pink party.
Bajireddy Goverdhan, another top leader, went the same way and joined TRS and was elected on the party’s ticket from Nizamabad Rural constituency. During his time in Congress, he was elected from Armoor and Banswada constituencies.
D Srinivas, under whose leadership Congress achieved success in 2004 and 2009 in united Andhra Pradesh, also gave a major jolt to Congress when he defected to TRS. Recently, he acrimoniously exited from TRS and rejoined Congress. However, due to his ill health and his defection, Srinivas does not command the same attention and loyalty from the cadre.