HYDERABAD: A bouquet of challenges awaits the arrival of the newly appointed AICC in-charge for Telangana, Meenakshi Natarajan. Her immediate task would be to set the house in order, as the party appears to be torn apart by forces operating in opposite directions. The never-ending squabbles among leaders in about 25 Assembly segments will test her experience in troubleshooting.
Though internal dissension remained under the surface for quite a long time, it recently came out in the open when MLAs expressed their ire at one of the ministers.
Senior leaders, including Disciplinary Committee chairman G Chinna Reddy, TPCC working president Anjan Kumar Yadav, MLC Teenmar Mallanna, and others, keep making comments against the party leadership in the state, as they have their own axes to grind. Their intemperate remarks are causing damage to the party, but there is no one to rein them in.
Then, the selection of candidates for the election of five MLCs under the MLA quota will further test her fiber.
For instance, G Chinna Reddy, who is the Disciplinary Committee chairman, has a running feud with Wanaparthy MLA Megha Reddy. Chinna Reddy says that Megha Reddy is a leader of no consequence and was unnecessarily targeting him.
Anjan Kumar’s comment ruffles party feathers
Then, former MP Anjan Kumar Yadav has openly accused a few of the senior leaders from the Reddy community of spoiling his chances of becoming a minister in the UPA regime. He said the same leaders also tried to prevent him from becoming the working president of the PCC.
Using the caste census as ammo, MLC Teenmar Mallanna has trained his guns at leaders of one community. The party has even issued a show-cause notice to him, asking for an explanation.
As if this were not enough, the 10 BRS MLAs who joined the Congress are also indulging in group politics in the party. They have become an eyesore for the leaders who lost elections against them in the recent Assembly elections. The party cadres are divided between the two groups in the constituencies, which may adversely impact the outcome of the local body elections.
Meenakshi Natarajan has to handle with kid gloves the senior leaders who are allegedly unhappy with the Chief Minister, ministers, and the PCC chief.
Meanwhile, the cabinet expansion and constitution of a full committee of the PCC are likely to take place sooner rather than later, in which case she would have to handle those who may not be able to make the cut. This apart, the leaders who were on good terms with the earlier Telangana in-charge, Deepa Das Munshi, are worried about how they should begin building a rapport with the new in-charge, as they know very little about her.
The aspirants for the positions of chairman of corporations and nominated posts are worried over whether they would be able to get into the good books of the new in-charge.
A few senior leaders in the party stated that she is a core group member of the Leader of Opposition and former AICC president Rahul Gandhi, which is why the leaders are likely to maintain silence for a few days until her plan of action and discussions with the leaders become clear.
Meanwhile, the party’s extended executive committee meeting will be held on February 28, The Chief Minister, AICC in-charge, PCC chief, cabinet ministers, corporation chairman, and other senior leaders will participate in the meeting.