HYDERABAD: The All India Congress Committee (AICC) has reportedly decided to change its Telangana in-charge in the next few days.
According to party sources, the high command is contemplating appointing a senior leader who has the potential to handle the issues unique to Telangana and has experience in managing internal dissent.
The grand old party is looking for a seasoned troubleshooter who can engage with MLAs, ministers, chief minister’s confidants, and senior party members.
Meanwhile, senior AICC leaders, including its president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and others, met at Kharge’s residence in New Delhi on Thursday.
Sources said that the party is considering the names of senior leaders like former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, former deputy CM of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot, former MPs BK Hariprasad and Dr Ajoy Kumar as a replacement for the present Telangana in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi.
Sources also stated that Sachin Pilot, who is currently in-charge of Chhattisgarh, has not shown much interest in continuing in that role and is instead keen on handling Telangana affairs. On the other hand, Bhupesh Baghel’s name is also under consideration, and he might be asked to take up the Telangana responsibility if the party does not decide to promote him as general secretary (organisation).
Since Baghel has served as chief minister, he is seen as a leader who is capable of handling state party affairs. He is expected to address the grey areas within the party and close the communication gap among the leaders.
Additionally, former MP BK Hariprasad from Karnataka and Dr Ajoy Kumar from Jharkhand are also in the race for the AICC Telangana in-charge post.
Senior leaders from Telangana expect that whoever is appointed as the new in-charge must coordinate with the chief minister, ministers, MLAs, and party leaders to ensure the party functions as a well-oiled machine.
They are also recalling recent controversies that became sensational but could have been prevented at an early stage with better coordination.
According to sources, the party leadership might announce the new committee for the TPCC and the name of the new AICC in-charge next week.