Congress yet to see Sharmila’s impact in Vizianagaram

Vizianagaram: Vizianagaram was a bastion for Congress party for decades but now the party lost the glory and is struggling for existence.

Senior leaders like Ananda Gajapathi Raju, Penmatsa Sambasiva Raju, Vasireddy Kirishnamurthy Naidu, Vyricharla Kishore Chandra Deo, S Vijayarama Raju and many other stalwarts had represented this constituency in Parliament and some of them maintained close relations even with Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi and made this district a stronghold for the Congress.

Botcha Satynarayana was the last Congress leader who had worked as PCC chief till 2014 when he quit Congress and joined YSRCP.

His wife Botcha Jhansi also served as MP during the UPA regime.

The national party is in such a situation where it could not even contest in panchayat elections. Though a follower of Botcha Satyanarayana Y Adiraju was the district president, he could do little to revive the party.

Though the Congress party under the leadership of Y S Sharmila is trying to regain its past glory, its impact is not being felt here so far. The grand old party is facing leadership crisis and lack of cadre as party cadre had migrated to YSRCP in the last 10 years.