From Rajya Sabha member K Chiranjeevi and MP Kavuri Sambasiva Rao to veteran politician Nadendla Bhaskar Rao, several senior Congress leaders expressed their displeasure over the sorry state of affairs in the Congress the party in the state.
They have asked the PCC leadership to review the situation and suggested that the organisational lapses be corrected on a war-footing.
The Congress Party’s membership drive, launched at Gandhi Bhavan here on Thursday, turned into a forum to do soul-searching for party leaders.
PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana kicked-off the membership drive across the state by renewing the party membership of chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Later, Botcha, Chiranjeevi, several ministers, MPs and former PCC presidents like K Kesava Rao and Narsa Reddy renewed their membership.
Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi made no secret of his displeasure over the pathetic situation of the party. He felt there was some sort of disenchantment among party cadres.
“There are several reasons for the disillusionment among party workers. The party leadership should initiate activities to rejuvenate the party cadre so as to prepare them for the 2014 polls,” Chiranjeevi said.
Making an indirect reference to YSR Congress Party, the Rajya Sabha member said some persons have cut the branch of 126-year-old Congress tree and claiming that the severed branch was the real tree. But, the severed branch would soon wither, he added.
Senior Congress leader Nadendla Bhaskar Rao lamented that at a time when other parties have become active, the Congress was in a state of slumber.
Expressing concern over the sorry state of affairs, the veteran leader advised the PCC leadership to take up extensive mass-contact programmes across the state so as to revive the party.
Eluru MP Kavuri Sambasiva Rao said corruption among government officials has been on the raise. The chief minister should initiate action against corrupt officials so as to revive the party image, he said.
“When party workers complain against corrupt officials, the chief minister should not hesitate to sack them. They should also be put behind bars. Then only party cadre will get moral support,” he said.
He asked the PCC leadership not to entertain opportunists in the party. The MP asked the PCC chief to appoint workers in party posts at the village-level without any room for nepotism.
Roads and buildings minister Dharmana Prasada Rao felt that since Congress had been in power for the last eight years, naturally it would be an uphill task for the party to face 2014 polls. Moreover, as the party had to take on three regional parties in the state in the 2014 polls, a lot of effort is needed to win the elections, he added.
AICC general secretary Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy asked party seniors to work in unison to strengthen the party and bury their differences.