New PCC Executive body after Sanskranti: Uttam

Hyderabad : Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy revealed that the new executive committee of Telangana Congress would be constituted after Sankranti festival.

In an informal chat with media persons at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday evening, Uttam Kumar Reddy said the new committee would be constituted keeping in view the upcoming elections. He said a Campaign Committee and Manifesto Committee would also be constituted soon. He said there would be 13 Vice-Presidents, one General Secretary for each district and one Secretary for each Assembly segment.

He said that the TPCC would also take out a bus yatra. By covering three Assembly constituencies a day, it is proposed to tour all 119 Assembly constituencies of Telangana.

The TPCC chief said that the Congress would return to power in 2019 elections. He said TRS was hit with 'overflow' of leaders and they also lack in performance. He said people have already prepared their mind to vote out TRS Government for its non-performance. He said several big leaders from other parties, especially TRS would join the Congress party after Sankranti festival. He said those joining the Congress from other parties were doing so without any conditions.

Speaking on delimitation of Assembly constituencies in Telangana, he said that the Congress party has already held one round of discussions on the issue and it would express its views only after the Bill is tabled in Parliament.

He also informed that Rahul Gandhi would visit Telangana by this month end. Besides participating in Medaram Jatara, the Congress president will address meetings with farmers and students. He said efforts were also on to hold Rahul Gandhi's meeting in Osmania University provided that the authorities grant permission for the same.

With regard to Panchayat Raj elections, he said that the polls should be held on time and in a transparent manner. He said any interference in the process would take away people's faith from the democracy.

Earlier in the day, Uttam Kumar Reddy addressed the executive committee meeting of TPCC Mahila Congress at Gandhi Bhavan.

In his speech, the TPCC chief alleged that the TRS Government did nothing for the empowerment of women in the State. He pointed out that women have no representation in State Cabinet and there is no woman MLC from TRS. He said the lone woman member in Legislative Council is from Congress party. He said in previous Congress Governments used to provide financial assistance to women Self Help Groups under Abhay Hastham Scheme. However, TRS Government discontinued the scheme. Similarly, he said women SHGs were provided subsidy to absorb interest burden on loans by previous Congress Governments. By discontinuing the subsidy, TRS Government has put the interest burden on women SHGs. He said the women SHGs in Telangana have become weaker over last four years due to the negligence by TRS Government. He promised that the Congress would provide attractive financial incentives to women SHGs after coming to power in 2019.

The meeting was chaired by Mahil Congress president Nerella Sharada, TPCC Working President Mallu Bhatti Vikramarkar and other leaders.