HYDERABAD: AICC secretary Rama Chandra Khuntia, who has recently been elevated to the post of state Congress affairs incharge in place of Digvijaya Singh, threw down the gauntlet to chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, asking the latter to make the MLAs, who had joined the TRS from other parties, resign to their membership of Assembly and get ready for bypolls, if Rao’s surveys on his party’s popularity are really true.
“TRS has begun facing headwinds on all fronts. All sections of people are fed up with the disastrous policies of this government. If CM KCR is really confident of retaining power in the next elections, he should face bypolls by making all defected members resign from their posts,” the AICC leader challenged.
Objecting to the way TRS leadership has been targeting the Congress leaders time and again, Khuntia said everybody knew the fact that Telangana State was possible only because of the iron will of the AICC supremo Sonia Gandhi.
“KCR should answer why he along with his family members visited Sonia Gandhi’s residence, soon after State bifurcation decision and even took a family photo with her, if the new State was really achieved by him,” Congress leader attacked.
Khuntia came to Hyderabad on Saturday for the first time after elevated to the post of Telangana Congress affairs incharge. Soon after reaching Gandhi Bhavan here, the AICC point man to the State had a preliminary meeting with the TPCC leaders and took stock of the party’s position.
Later, the AICC leader, who had been looking after the party affairs as Digvijaya’s deputy until recently, had an informal interaction with mediapersons.
Accompanied by TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Leader of Opposition in Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir and others, Khuntia ridiculed the BJP central leadership efforts to strengthen the party in the State. “BJP can never be an alternative to the Congress in the State. TDP and YSRC are completely decimated in the State as they have lost relevance in Telangana.
As people are fed up with TRS rule, none can stop the Congress from rising to power in the State in 2019,” he said.
When asked about who would be the chief ministerial candidate of the party for the next elections, the AICC leader said he was not empowered to speak on this issue.
“In fact, the Congress does not have the practice of announcing CM’s candidate in advance. Adhering to the democratic norms, our party high command always leaves this issue to the elected MLAs. After every election, the newly elected legislators will decide who should be their leader,” he remarked.
‘Party to give priority to youth in 2019 polls’
Khuntia announced that the party would give priority to youth while giving tickets in 2019 polls
Khuntia will address TPCC extended executive meet at Gandhi Bhavan here on Sunday