Hyderabad: The mandate in the Telangana elections has shocked Congress leaders, the party losing more seats than in 2014. The defeat of Congress giants like the working presidents, former ministers and candidates in the race for the Chief Minister’s post is being seen as insult to injury for these leaders. It is learnt that being away from their constituencies cost them heavily.
Top leaders of the Congress like working presidents A. Revanth Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar, former deputy chief minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, former ministers D.K. Aruna, Dr J. Geetha Reddy, Konda Surekha, K. Jana Reddy, T. Jeevan Reddy, Shabbir Ali, Ponnala Lakshmiah and Chinna Reddy along with former Union ministers Sarve Satyanarayana and Balaram Naik were defeated.
Being away from people of their constituency and focusing on state level politics has proved costly for them. After the Prajakutami was formed, they were confident that they would form the government.
So some of these leaders tried to elevate themselves as state leaders to stay in the Chief Minister’s race, while some others concentrated on grabbing tickets for their family members and friends, expecting that their presence in the Congress legislative party would help them to be strong with the high command.
Top leaders of the Congress who lost the elections had also campaigned for other candidates. Completing campaigning in other constituencies, some seniors started working in their own constituency just a week or ten days before the elections.
