The Congress party in the State will start the selection of the candidates to contest in the forthcoming elections from January 17, said the AP Congress Committee president Gidugu Rudra Raju.
Addressing a press conference at Andhra Ratna Bhavan, the party office, here on January 12 (Friday), Mr. Rudra Raju said the All India Congress Committee Chairman Madhusudan Mistry and members Suraj Hegde and Shafi would start the process of the candidates’ selection at the party office.
He said Andhra Pradesh had been meted out a raw deal under the YSR Congress Party rule. Development had come to a grinding halt and unemployment among youth had become a serious problem. A section of the young generation was falling easy prey to drugs, which was a matter of serious concern, he said.
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had promised to implement total prohibition in phases, had allowed liquor to flow across the State. The fact that the Excise Department had earned a revenue of ₹25,000 crore reflected the sincerity of Mr. Jagan on this count, he said.
Mr. Rudra Raju said the Congress alone can ensure justice to the people of this State. After witnessing the ‘misrule’ of the Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress Party, people should realise that justice for all sections was possible only under the Congress rule.
Referring to the AICC in-charge for A.P. Manickam Tagore’s visit to the State, he said it had benefited the party as leaders and cadres were rejuvenated and were ready to take their political opponents head on.
The party celebrated Priyanka Gandhi’s birthday and later paid tributes to Swamy Vivekananda by garlanding his portrait, marking the National Youth Day celebrations.
A.P. Congress’s working presidents Gowtham Janga and Sunkara Padmasree, vice-president Kolanukonda Sivaji, SC Cell chairman Sake Shankar, NSUI State president Nagamadhu Yadav, Vijayawada city Congress president Naraharisetty Narasimha Rao and other party leaders were present.
