Telangana Congress leaders, particularly chief minister Revanth Reddy are said to be worried over the proposed visit of a three-member Committee, led by senior party leader PJ Kurien, constituted by the party high-command to probe into the party’s dismal performance in the recent Lok Sabha elections in the state.
AICC chief Mallikharjuna Kharge has constituted three separate committees to know why the party failed in three states, where it is in power. They are Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh.
Though initially Telangana Congress leaders didn’t give much importance to this committee, but after realizing that the party high-command is serious about their dismal performance during Lok Sabha polls, they are worrying. The panel is touring Telangana from July 10. Particularly they are focusing only on Lok Sabha segments where Congress lost.
The Kurien Committee will tour the state from 10th of this month. The party leadership is more worried that BJP too won seats on par with Congress in the state.The committee itself will talk to the defeated candidates, the minister in-charge of the constituency, MLAs and other main leaders of the party. As many senior leaders have already complained to the party high-command alleging unilateral attitude of Revanth Reddy led to defeat of the party in many key constituencies, the report of the committee is certainly creating uproar in the party.
Soon after Lok Sabha elections Revanth Reddy himself alleged that it was due to `unholy alliance between BRS and BRS Congress candidates were defeated in several constituencies’. But according to the reports reached by the party high-command, Revanth Reddy’s `collusion with BJP’ led to defeat of Congress candidates in several constituencies.
Congress high-command felt that they can win over 14 out of 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana and Revanth Reddy expressed confidence of winning a minimum of 12 seats. But it had won only 8 seats, which sent shocking signals to the party.
More particularly, Congress was defeated by BJP in Revanth Reddy’s home district Mahabubnagar and also in his Lok Sabha seat Malkajgiri. Besides these two seats, defeat in Secunderabad, Chevella and Adilabad also surprised the Congress leadership. Even Sunil Konugolu surveys also indicated Congress will win these four seats.
Several Congress senior leaders have reportedly complained to the high-command against Revanth Reddy alleging him of colluding with BJP in these four seats. As a strong evidence, BJP’s winning candidate from Chevella Konda VIdveshwar Reddy made sensational comments saying that Revanth Reddy helped him to win the seat.
Vishweshwar Reddy’s son told the media that his father had helped Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in many matters earlier and in return a dummy candidate was fielded against him by Congress. Likewise, there are similar allegations from many constituencies. Even before reaching Hyderabad, Congress sources said that the Kurian committee provided a detailed information about Congress leaders who helped BJP in each constituency.