Congress begins hunt for Bahubali

​Hyderabad: The AICC has launched a search for ‘Bahubali’ who can save the party and revive its political fortunes in the next elections in both the Telugu-speaking states.

According to TPCC sources, the All India Congress Committee is seriously examining the possibility of replicating the strategy it had adopted in Punjab during the just-concluded elections which had helped the Congress come back to power.

In fact, Leader of Opposition K Jana Reddy had made a passing remark in the Assembly premises on Friday that some Bahubali will come to save Congress party in next elections when he was asked to comment about Bahubali 2 and it was considered to be a remark in a lighter vein.

Party sources told The Hans India that a serious exercise had already begun and the AICC leaders have directed the state leadership to prepare a detailed report on the strength and weakness of the party constituency wise and also suggest the measures that need to be taken to strengthen the party at grassroots level.

Though the source refused to reveal who was preparing the report, it is understood that TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and former president P Laxmaiah have been tasked with the responsibility.

Similarly, APCC president N Raghuveera Reddy and former Union minister Pallam Raju, have been entrusted with the responsibility of preparing a similar report for Andhra Pradesh.

After studying the report, the AICC will work out a strategy and will also identify the Bahubali. With nearly two years left for the next elections, the AICC will select leaders for TS and AP in consultation with state leaders and they will be given full freedom to chalk out the electoral strategies.

The source said that Bahubali and his team will focus purely on regional issues and the agenda for elections will be based on the local problems. Unless the state Congress units function like a regional party, it will be difficult to revive its fortunes under the present circumstances, the party central leadership feels.

The main secret of success in Punjab was that Capt Amarinder Singh was projected as the CM candidate before elections and was given full autonomy to plan and execute the electoral strategy which helped them to come back to power.

Meanwhile, Congress will select a few leaders from AP and Telangana to study the success story of Punjab. They would be asked to schedule a meeting with new Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh so that he could give a few tips for the revival of the party in the Telugu-speaking states.