To recover, Congress needs strong leader in Makthal

Makthal: Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra is attracting huge public attention in the Palamuru region. When The Hans India interacted with the locals over their views on the Yatra getting electoral gains for the Congress, a tea stall owner Narayana said though Makthal was a Congress bastion earlier, the ruling TRS has developed the area very well.

"We have to accept the fact that there are many welfare and development programmes in the region now. KCR has kept his word and is strongly supporting the farming community and had improved lives of poor to some extent through his welfare programmes," he said.

"If one has to vote for the Congress again, just word of mouth and hollow promises are not enough. People are also looking who is financially sound and not hesitating to take money for their votes.

To win from this area, the Congress should have a strong leader with sound financial background and who can work for the people," observed Narayana. After the TRS came power, the Congress had lost its hold on the constituency and its leader Chittem Ram Mohan Reddy switched the loyalties to the ruling TRS creating a big vacuum for the Congress.