State Congress revamp likely after Rahul’s convention

T issue unlikely to figure at CLP, PCC chiefs’ meet which begins today

All eyes are on the two-day conference of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leaders and PCC chiefs, beginning Friday in Delhi under the leadership of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

As it is the maiden convention being convened by Rahul in his capacity as vice-president, Congress leaders from the state are curious over what medicine will he administer to the state unit of the party to resurrect it.

Rahul Gandhi is holding the convention to know the problems being faced by the party in various states across the country. He is expected to suggest ways to rectify the problems and strengthen the party in the run-up to 2014 polls.

Some leaders are hopeful that Rahul will discuss Telangana, besides infighting among party seniors and desertions to YSR Congress, with chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana during the conference.

“During the convention, our party vice-president Rahul will take stock of the party position in the state, along with the party’s condition in other states,” PCC general secretary Gopisetty Niranjan told Express.

Rahul Gandhi has already gathered enough information on the party’s position in the state by holding one-on-one meetings with party seniors.

From chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to former mayor of Hyderabad Banda Karthika Reddy, several leaders of the state Congress met Rahul recently and briefed him about the party’s condition. Though the leaders expressed their views on various issues like Telangana and Jagan factor, Rahul has not spelt out his opinion before them on any of these issues.

Hence, the leaders are waiting eagerly for the word of the party’s second-in-command on both Telangana and the J-factor. However, some feel that Rahul is unlikely to express his views on Telangana during the conference.

“When MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy raised the Telangana issue during the recent meeting of AICC secretaries, Rahul skipped it saying he would discuss it later. As the Congress high command is still unable to take a decision on Telangana, the vice- president might avoid it even now,” a senior of leader of the party said.