Congress to fight polls alone in State

Vijayawada: Newly appointed Congress party in-charge for Andhra Pradesh affairs Oommen Chandy made it clear that the  Congress party would go alone in the State in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections due next year. 

He addressed a media conference at the State party office on Wednesday after holding the State executive committee of the party. PCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy, former Union ministers Pallam Raju, J D Seelam, Panabaka Lakshmi, party vice-president Nadendla Manohar, Kondru Murali and others were present.  

Speaking on the occasion, Oommen Chandy said the Congress party will have alliance with only people and it will not have tie up with any other political party. He put an end to the speculation that Congress may go ahead with the TDP.

He further said the Congress party would lead the United Front of democratic secular parties in the Lok Sabha elections. He said the party will be strengthened from the ground level to face the 2019 elections. Chandy said the party would be strengthened from the grass-root level.

Congress party Executive Committee meeting:  Congress executive committee meeting under the leadership of Oommen Chandy decided to convene three or four meetings in three months to get feedback from the party leaders and functionaries from the ground level.

A senior party leader, who participated in the meeting on Wednesday said new party in-charge Oommen Chandy may appoint 21 observers in 21 Assembly constituencies to study the ground-level problems of people in the State.

The meeting also decided to go ahead with multi-pronged strategy to fight on people’s issues. District-wise, constituency and State-wide agenda will be prepared very soon. Besides, booth-level committees will work to strengthen the party from the ground level.

PCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy, senior party leaders like K V P Ramachandra Rao, Panabaka Lakshmi, Nadendla Manohar, J D Seelam decided to attend a series of meetings and prepare election strategy to face the 2019 elections. 

Raghuveera Reddy said Congress president Rahul Gandhi had appointed an efficient and able leader as the chief of Congress affairs and hoped the party will regain its glory under the leadership of Oommen Chandy.