Delayed candidate picks deal a single-digit blow to TG Cong?

Hyderabad : With Congress getting less than what was predicted by the poll surveys, the PCC leadership began analysing the results. They found delay in selection of candidates as possibly one of the main reasons for not showing the best performance and limiting itself to single digits in the Lok Sabha polls.

According to party sources, unlike their rivals, the Congress party which was in the saddle in Telangana following the latest Assembly results, delayed announcing the candidates for 17 Lok Sabha constituencies. One of the reasons cited is the dependence on the poll surveys being undertaken by the political strategist months prior, rather than the party's own ground reports. These surveys gave positive predictions about handing over tickets to defectors from BRS, causing much delay.

“It is a fact that political parties are now heavily depending on poll strategists for better prospects. Owing to this, most of the turncoats who have contested this time could not make it. They were also supported by Sunil Kanugolu’s team based on so-called surveys. But this proved to be a debacle, given the results as only one out of five who had joined just before the polls won this. Despite all the efforts by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, the other four could not make it,” observed a senior leader.

Kadiyam Kavya, the daughter of Kadiyam Srihari from Warangal was the only candidate who had won. While four others including sitting MP from Chevella, Ranjith Reddy besides MLA Danam Nagender (Secunderabad), Neelam Madhu (Medak) and Patnam Sunitha Mahender Reddy (Malkajgiri) lost in these polls to BJP candidates.

Another reason cited is the fact that the BJP which not only announced candidates beforehand, had also engaged in campaign with maximum number of national leaders, unlike the Congress. In contrast to the AICC’s presence which was felt during the Assembly polls months prior, the same was not seen during the Lok Sabha polls. For most of the constituencies, Revanth Reddy remained the star campaigner and following survey reports and intelligence inputs he placed maximum efforts. For instance, in Chevella, where Ranjith Reddy was contesting against local heavyweight and former Congress leader Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, the CM held nine meetings which included public and corner meetings. This includes the initial public meeting held on April 6 which was attended by Rahul Gandhi. He held seven in Malkajgiri, four in Medak, four in Secunderabad respectively. “The results were somewhat disappointing, particularly in wake of good performance in Assembly polls,” lamented the leader.