Telangana Congress seems to be getting ready to open gates for reinduction of the leaders who left for various reasons over the years and prefer to come back either for electoral reasons or looking for some respect that they don’t get in their present parties.
The formation of a new committee headed by senior leader and former Minister, K. Jana Reddy looks to take care of the leaders who have sent feelers to the party for reinduction. At the same time, the committee is also being seen as a nodal agency to study the pros and cons of their entry.
The other members are TPCC president, A. Revanth Reddy, CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka, former PCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Nalgonda MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and former Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha.
Ever since Mr. Revanth Reddy took the reins of the party in Telangana several leaders either dormant politically or have been sidelined in other parties but still have some hold in their constituencies are being lured back. In fact, close friends of such leaders took the initiative on behalf of the PCC chief.
Sensing the rejuvenation of the party after its successful public meetings, including the one right in Gajwel represented by the Chief Minister, some senior leaders approached the TPCC chief and other seniors. However, no commitment was given fearing backlash from the existing leaders in their respective areas. There was also not much consensus with every leader trying to push in their own men against the party will.
Taking the example of TRS MP and former Minister in the previous Congress government D. Srinivas, who wanted to come back to Congress, a senior leader said there were several objections to his entry. Some of them questioned his utility and loyalty while a few others felt his induction would help the party in Nizamabad.
“There were also questions on the position he would get based on his seniority. This complexity of situation ended with no positive decision coming,” a senior leader said. The entry of D. Sanjay, former Mayor of Nizamabad too was kept pending for these reasons.
TPCC Campaign Committee Chairman, Madhu Yaskhi initially raised the need for a committee to scrutinise the entry of leaders in various districts with Mr. Rahul Gandhi. He is said to have argued that similar team functions in Karnataka to avoid ruffling the feathers of various groups.
After Mr. Gandhi’s promise, a committee was to be set up with Mr. Ponnala Lakshmaiah has the head but it didn’t take shape. Meanwhile, Mr. Revanth Reddy wanted a similar committee with Mr. Shabbir Ali as the Head but that too didn’t materialise.
With the entry of political strategist Sunil Kanugolu for Telangana and Karnataka Congress affairs the idea of reinducting the leaders seems to have gotten the attention again. The new constitution of the Induction Committee with Mr. Jana Reddy as the head is now being seen in this backdrop.
