HYDERABAD: By all accounts, TPCC president A Revanth Reddy’s leadership and management skills will be tested thoroughly in the next four weeks as he leads the Telangana unit of the party through a crucial phase. While Revanth had made sure he remained in the news with his attacks on the TRS and BJP ever since taking over as the TPCC chief, he has had a relatively easy outing in the 15 months he had been in the post — the loss in Huzurabad bypoll was not seen as a stain on his profile since the Congress was not considered a frontrunner in the constituency.
All that will change the moment Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Telangana on October 23 and then the prestigious Munugode Assembly bypoll 10 days later. Much will depend on these two major events, as their success may pave the way for the formation of a Congress government in TS in 2023.
On Thursday, AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal reviewed the arrangements for the Bharat Jodo Yatra at the Gandhi Bhavan and to Revanth’s chagrin, expressed dissatisfaction with the preparations and publicity for the prestigious event. The BJY will enter Telangana in erstwhile Mahbubnagar, Revanth’s native district. With Rahul Gandhi set to walk for some days in the district, everybody in the Congress expects massive crowd mobilisation. Inexplicably, the party has failed to form any panel for this yet. As of Friday, neither the local party leaders nor its frontal organisations had started any groundwork on mobilising crowds, nor have any senior leaders done a recce of the route.
During the TPCC executive meeting, Venugopal questioned this lack of seriousness on the part of the TPCC leadership, especially considering the fact that Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to walk through the areas where the Congress had lost in the previous elections. This has given rise to the impression that the TPCC has not been able to seize the opportunity to strengthen the party.
Bypoll challenge
Another challenge before Revanth is the bypoll for Munugode, a constituency that was represented by the Congress till Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy switched sides to the BJP. While this is the second byelection for Revanth after Huzurabad, this time around, his leadership will be questioned even if the party is second best.
In Dubbaka byelection, the Congress secured 22,000 votes while it polled only 3,000 votes in Huzurabad. However, the party did well in Huzurnagar and Nagarjunasagar as not only senior leaders contested but the party carried out an intense campaign. But Munugode is different as it has been a bastion of the party for decades. What’s more, the Assembly seat comes under the Bhongir Parliament constituency which is presently held by Congress leader Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.
In the TPCC executive meeting, Revanth reportedly raised the issue of non-cooperation from party seniors in Munugode. Though ad hoc committees have been formed for the bypoll with due consensus of TPCC senior leaders, a majority of them have not been active in campaigning. The Congress is also unable to match the spending power of the TRS and BJP. Another hurdle is party MP Venkat Reddy, who refuses to campaign for the Congress candidate citing insults from party leaders. These are mountains that Revanth has to conquer if he wishes to shine as TPCC president.
Leadership will be questioned
Another challenge before Revanth Reddy is the byelection for Munugode. While this is the second byelection for the TPCC chief after Huzurabad, this time around, his leadership will be questioned even if the party is second best
Tough times await TPCC chief
Revanth has had a relatively easy outing in the 15 months he had been in the post as TPCC chief. But all that will change the moment Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra enters Telangana on October 23 and then the prestigious Munugode Assembly bypoll 10 days later