Hyderabad: With the Congress Working Committee slated to finalise the schedule of elections for the key posts of AICC and PCC presidents on Monday, there will be a stiff fight for the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee presidentship among key contenders like senior legislators D.K. Aruna, Komati-reddy Venkat Reddy and working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, besides incumbent N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Some more leaders are expected to join in the competition to lead the main Opposition party in the state about 18 months before the elections. It is generally accepted that the PCC president who successfully leads the party in the elections will have a chance of becoming Chief Minister.
Mr Venkat Reddy told this newspaper on Sunday that he had met AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi twice and pleaded for the post, stating that he was the senior-most party leader in the state, and “a fighter.”
“I am a serious contender for the post, I have the people’s support as well the support of Congressmen across the state. I am capable of leading the party into the Assembly elections. My commitment and loyalty to the party are unparalleled,” Mr Venkat Reddy said.
Ms Aruna, a former minister, said she would definitely stake claim to be TPCC president. “I have all the requisite qualifications and I believe the new AICC leadership will look for women to take lead in various states including Telangana. Mr Gandhi had said during the 2014 election campaign that he would be looking for a woman PCC president,” Ms Aruna said. There has no woman PCC president for many decades.
Mr Vikramarka is also in the race for the top Congress post in the state. Reports suggest that AICC SC cell Chairman Koppula Raju, a former IAS official, is backing Mr Vikramarka to take over the party leadership in the state. Mr Raju is considered one of the confidants of Mr Gandhi.
The followers of Mr N. Uttam Kumar Reddy say their leader has been assured both by Mr Gandhi and AICC TS incharge R.C. Kunthia, that he would continue to hold the post.
In an interesting development, Mr A. Revanth Reddy, who recently joined the Congress from the Telugu Desam, went to Shakthi Sthal in Delhi to mark the birth centenary of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Uttam: BJP marginalising legacy of Nehru-Gandhis
TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP-led NDA government of trying to distort history to marginalise the contributions of the Nehru-Gandhi family.
Launching the birth centenary celebrations of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy recalled her services towards nation building.
He said Mrs Gandhi had ensured the welfare of poor and empowerment of weaker sections besides stabilising food security for the nation and dealing firmly with the country’s enemies.
He said people would elect AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi as the country's Prime Minister in next elections.
Elsewhere in the state, Congress party leaders hoisted the party flag in 5,000 gram panchayats and in 60 municipalities.
Earlier, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with senior leaders including Rajya Sabha members K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao and M.A. Khan, PCC ex-president Ponnala Laxmaiah, Leader of Opposition in Council Shabbir Ali, TPCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy, former ministers Danam Nagender and D. Sridhar Babu, ex-MP M. Anjan Kumar Yadav, paid floral tributes to Indira Gandhi at her statue at Necklace Road. Youth Congress president Anil Kumar Yadav organised a blood donation camp,
