HYDERABAD: All India Congress Committee (AICC ) president Rahul Gandhi has turned his back on his party veterans from the two Telugu-speaking States during the overhaul of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), the highest decision making the body of the grand old party.
Giving a rude shock to the old-timers as well as young leaders in the party in Telangana and AP, Rahul has not picked a single leader from the Telugu-speaking States into the CWC, which was reconstituted with 23 members, 18 permanent invitees and 10 special invitees on Tuesday. Of the 51-member highest decision-making body, no place has been given to even one leader from the Telugu States, barring INTUC president G Sanjeeva Reddy, a Telangana man, who is “ex-officio” member of the CWC, by virtue of his post.
While it is not a surprise for Congress leaders in AP as the party is no longer a “strong political player” in the truncated State post-bifurcation, party leaders in Telangana are unable to digest this development.
Till Tuesday, the TPCC circles were of the view that any of the party veterans such as V Hanumantha Rao and S Jaipal Reddy from Telangana would definitely be considered for a place in the CWC, as the party leaders were of the view that Congress high command was considering Telangana as a most important State to come to power in the ensuing polls.
“But, the way CWC was constituted without providing any representation to Telangana has completely disappointed Congress leaders in the State. Our party leadership’s decision to dump Telangana leaders shows us that TS is not in AICC’s priority,” a senior Congress leader commented. Much to the chagrin of the Telangana Congress leaders, even though Jaipal Reddy’s candidature was recommended to AICC for a place in the CWC by TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, the party Delhi bosses did not consider it.
VHR revolts
AICC secretary and party veteran V Hanumantha Rao expressed unhappiness over the injustice meted out to the Telugu leaders in the party. “It is shocking that the candidature of even one leader from the two Telugu-speaking States is not considered for CWC. I have been AICC secretary since 2001. So far, I have not been given a promotion. Like me, S Jaipal Reddy is also a senior man. He also is not preferred by AICC leadership,” he said.
Independents
Independent charges appointed to various States like AICC TS affairs in-charge RC Khuntia are permanent invitees to CWC as “ex-officio members”. Likewise, heads of five frontal organisations of party like INTUC, Seva Dal, Mahila Congress, Youth Congress and NSUI, too will continue to remain ex-officio members of CWC. Also, INTUC president G Sanjeeva Reddy, a Telangana man, has been allowed to be “ex-officio” member of CWC