Congress mulls 5 guarantees

Hyderabad: Congress party’s ‘Mission Telangana’ strategy meeting with state leaders in New Delhi on Tuesday decided to implement the Karnataka formula in toto to come to power in Telangana.

The strategy committee which met in Delhi under the Chairmanship of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, which was attended by Rahul Gandhi, made it clear to the Telangana leaders that they should put all their grievances on back burner and no one should raise any such issue in the meeting. In fact, Kharge told them to forget the differences till the polls are over. As a result, leaders like N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Jagga Reddy decided to remain silent.

It is learnt that the strategy committee is now brainstorming for the five main guarantees which the Congress can offer in Telangana as it had done in Karnataka. The five guarantees are likely to be announced at the Khammam meeting. ‘Scrapping of Dharani portal’ could be one of the five guarantees, the source said.

The party is also likely to announce the first list of candidates in July.

The sources said that Rahul Gandhi made it clear that the tickets would be given based on the survey reports and no one should announce or promote his name as the party candidate for any constituency. The strategy committee also decided to work out strategies to give importance to BC, SCs and STs. He also directed party leaders to express their grievances to party in-charge Manikrao Thakre or to party general secretary K C Venugopal and not to speak to the media on any issues.

It is also being said that the AICC had asked Komatireddy Venkat Reddy to talk to his brother Rajagopal Reddy and try for his ghar wapsi and assured that he would be given either the Lok Sabha or Assembly ticket whichever he prefers.

The AICC will soon constitute committees to monitor the party activities in every Assembly constituency. Leaders said Congress political strategist Sunil Kanugolu gave a presentation on the action plan for every Assembly segment where the Congress has good chances to win. He will also give talking points to seniors for campaign purpose. Congress senior leader Mallu Ravi said the Congress will move in a new direction from July in Telangana.