Contested Congress LS candidates pour out their woes to panel

Hyderabad : Candidates from the Telangana Congress who contested for Lok Sabha seats expressed their frustrations over their defeat to the PJ Kurien Committee, which visited Hyderabad to assess the party’s disappointing performance in the recent general elections. The party candidates Ranjeet Reddy and D Nagendar informed the Committee that shifting the BRS vote bank to the BJP hampered their winning prospects.

AICC’s three-member fact Committee, led by Kurien, conducted a daylong meeting with the Congress leaders and contested candidates to seek their feedback on the Congress party’s performance in the recently held Lok Sabha polls.

Chevella and Secunderabad’s Congress MP candidates Ranjeet Reddy and D Nagendar told the Committee their defeat in the elections was a result of the BRS party’s conspiracy politics by shifting their vote bank to the rival BJP candidates in some Assembly segments that were under their Lok Sabha segment preview.

Congress leaders pointed out that incorrect candidate selection in certain constituencies was a significant factor contributing to their electoral losses, which also bolstered the BJP’s success, resulting in them winning an equal number of 8 MP seats as the Congress.

The ruling Congress party was confident of winning at least 12 seats, but the BJP emerged strong in a short time and won a good number of MP seats in the State. The BRS drew a blank.

Leaders informed the Committee that MP candidates did not receive sufficient support from local Congress MLAs in certain Lok Sabha constituencies where the party traditionally held strength, but the lack of unity among leadership during the election period undermined their efforts.

The Kurien Committee would continue deliberation for two more days and prepare a report on the performance of the State Congress party leadership in the elections. The party high command was already unhappy with the leadership for not winning more seats despite Congress being in power in the State. The report would be submitted to the high command, and the latter would decide whether to take action against those responsible.