HYDERABAD: Even as the ruling Congress is gearing up for the appointment of corporation chairpersons and various TPCC committees, AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan has set minimum eligibility criteria for these posts.
During review meetings with party leaders from Medak and Malkajgiri Lok Sabha segments, held at the Gandhi Bhavan here on Tuesday, she said that the corporation chairperson posts will be given only to those who served the party for more than 10 years. She also said that the age of those aspiring for the DCC chief posts should not exceed 55 years.
The review meetings were chaired by TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud and attended by Ministers D Sridhar Babu, Damodar Rajanarsimha, Konda Surekha, and several MLAs, elected representatives, and corporation chairpersons.
According to sources, Meenakshi Natarajan issued a stern warning to party leaders over internal rifts. She cautioned them against going to the media or posting on social media about the party’s internal affairs.
Sources said that at the commencement of the Medak review meeting, Kata Srinivas — who unsuccessfully contested from Patancheru Assembly segment — brought up the issue of his conflict with turncoat MLA Gudem Mahipal Reddy, who chose not to attend the meeting despite being invited. Stating that Mahipal has been troubling him and his supporters in the constituency, Srinivas urged the AICC in-charge to sort out the issue at the earliest.
Responding to complaints, Natarajan is believed to have said that the party will not hesitate to change the Assembly constituency in-charges if disputes cropped up because of them.
She said that the Assembly constituency in-charge should act responsibly. She added that she would get the details of leaders who strove for the party.
Later speaking to the media, TPCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud said that they have discussed the expansion of the party’s base and appointment of new TPCC committees.
He said that the AICC in-charge gave certain suggestions to be followed in the local body elections. He said that she directed the leaders to work with unity and be available for the people.