SANGAREDDY: The Congress, which once dominated the political discourse in the erstwhile Medak district, is gradually losing its influence though it retains a strong base. The Congress cadre are dismayed that the district leadership is not making enough efforts to take on the TRS, let alone stop the onward march of the BJP which is claiming to be the alternative to the pink party in the State.
The erstwhile Medak district has a total of 10 Assembly and two Lok Sabha constituencies. Such was the Congress's dominance before 2014 that it withstood the TDP wave in 1983. Those heady days became a thing of the past after 2014 when the party lost power both in the State and at the Centre. In 2014, the TRS won eight Assembly seats and the Congress just two — J Geetha Reddy from Zaheerabad and P Kishta Reddy from Narayankhed.
Two years later, in the byelection necessitated due to the demise of Kishta Reddy, the TRS clinched the seat. In 2018, Congress could win only the Sangareddy seat, and the TRS won the remaining nine. Even as its electoral fortunes dwindled, the Congress has managed to retain its base, and it is the party cadre who are worried about the direction the party is headed.
According to Congress activists, former deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarasimha has not changed his attitude despite losing twice in a row from Andole. While Geetha Reddy has been visiting Zaheerabad, she faces a challenge from Y Narottam who has become active.
Sangareddy MLA T Jayaprakash ‘Jagga’ Reddy is accused of toeing his own line and going against the party’s State leadership, and not being accessible to the party cadre. Observers believe that Jagga Reddy, who won the 2018 elections by a slim margin, faces a tough battle in 2023 as Finance Minister T Harish Rao is keen on a clean sweep for the TRS in the district.
They say that this is a possibility as the Congress lacks strong leadership at the district level and is already facing trouble in Patancheru, Narsapur, Medak and Siddipet constituencies. In Narayankhed, it all depends on whether party leaders Suresh Kumar Shetkar and P Sanjeeva Reddy put up a united front against the TRS juggernaut.
V Sunitha Reddy, who was the strongest candidate of the Congress in Narsapur, has joined TRS, leaving the grand old party in the doldrums. Taking these developments in view, political observers believe that if the Congress leaders do not pull up their socks and steer the party cadre in the right direction, the grand old party is likely to face an embarrassing situation in 2023.
TRS eyeing a clean sweep in the district
Observers believe that Jagga Reddy, who won the 2018 elections by a slim margin, faces a tough battle in 2023 as Finance Minister T Harish Rao is keen on a clean sweep for the TRS in the district. They say that this is a possibility as Congress lacks strong leadership at the district level