HYDERABAD: The wait is over. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge has finally appointed senior Congress leader and MLC Bomma Mahesh Kumar Goud as TPCC president.
The Congress high command has made the announcement on Friday after multiple consultations with top Congress leaders from Telangana, including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka and Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy.
TNIE broke the news of Mahesh’s imminent appointment on May 28 this year.
In naming Mahesh as TPCC chief, the Congress stuck to its “balancing” tradition of picking a CM from the Reddy community and state party chief from a BC community. In the undivided AP, when YS Rajasekhara Reddy and N Kiran Kumar Reddy were chief ministers, the Congress appointed BC leaders as TPCC presidents.
The appointment of a BC leader to the top post in the state Congress also aligns with Rahul Gandhi’s policy “jitni abadi, utna haq” (rights proportional to population).
Incidentally, the ruling party has passed a resolution in the State Legislature in support of the caste census, which is aimed at giving proportional reservations as per caste census.
Though multiple names were considered for the coveted post, Mahesh was picked due to his loyalty to the grand old party. It may be mentioned here when the party old-timers raised a banner of revolt against the then TPCC president Revanth, Mahesh abided by the decision of the party high command.
While thanking Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi for his appointment, Mahesh posted on to X: “Building on the vision set by outgoing president Revanth Reddy Garu and with the guidance of our senior leaders, I look forward to uniting our efforts and taking the party to greater heights in service of Telangana’s people.”
Outgoing president thanks colleagues
Meanwhile, outgoing TPCC president and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy thanked the party as well as his colleagues. Recalling his experiences as state Congress chief, he posted on X: “As I hand over the baton of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee to my colleague Mahesh Kumar Goud, I look back with joy, gratitude & pride. Since the day I took charge as TPCC president on 7th July 2021, I have felt blessed that my leader Sonia Gandhi ji reposed complete faith in me to be able to deliver a turnaround.”
He added that one of the most cherished memories of his term was to organise and participate in the Telangana leg of the Bharat Jodo Yatra (BJY) of Rahul Gandhi. He said that BJY completely changed the mood of the country.
He also recalled how he successfully carried out the party’s digital membership drive, during a difficult situation.
“Our leader Soniamma blew the bugle at Congress Vijayabheri Sabha at Thukkuguda, one of the largest election meetings ever in our history. We were able to totally expose all the lies, fabrications, failures of the BRS government and wreck the misplaced perception of their strength & could bring the Congress party to power in Telangana,” he posted on X.
Dasu Suresh hails appointment
BC Rajyadhikara Samithi president Dasu Suresh expressed delight over Congress appointing Mahesh Kumar Goud as TPCC chief. Thanking Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and AICC in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi, he said said appointing a BC leader as PCC chief was an indication of social change in the state politics.