Rama Krishna Sangem
Congress party will follow the Karnataka formula to win the assembly elections in Telangana too. This formula includes a combination of 5 points: 1. Intense anti-KCR government campaign 2. Effective intra party coordination 3. Activating organisational wings. 4. Launching power packed electioneering and 5. Attractive poll promises with a guarantee card to people.
Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi conducted this strategy meeting at party’s war room in Delhi on June 27, Tuesday from 1.30 pm to 4 pm. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Telangana in charge general secretary Manikrao Thakre were there. Telanagana PCC president A Revanth Reddy and around 30 senior leaders from the state took part in the deliberations. “This meeting filled confidence in us,” said MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy later.
Congress is basically in an upbeat mood after its recent victory in Karnataka assembly elections. Braving a blistering poll campaign by PM Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah‘and winning 135 out of 228 seats there has enhanced the party’s belief in itself. Rahul in his recent US tour claimed that Congress can win elections in 3- 4 states in the coming months including Telangana. Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Mizoram too go to polls in 6 months.
What’s Karnataka formula?
Rahul has prescribed Karnataka formula for Telangana leaders too. What is that formula? Nothing but making party leaders who are demoralized due to two successive defeats in 2014 and 2018 that they can win this time. Equipping them psychologically. “Our leaders are highly demoralized and de-spirited in Telangana. After Karnataka, they got some hope that they too can fight,” said an AICC functionary talking to Excel India on Tuesday.
This formula has five components: First, Congress would step up its aggressive campaign against KCR’s BRS government on various issues. Attacking CM KCR government as corrupt, like its campaign against Basavaraj Bommai’s BJP regime as “40 per cent commission government”. Cancellation of Dharani Portal for land records and transactions is another specific attack against KCR government.
Temporary Unity among warring leaders, is Second point. Everyone knows there is no unity among the handful of senior leaders of Congress in Telangana. No amount of efforts to solve them haven’t yielded results. But, Rahul told them that they must sink their differences for time being and sort them out later, once they win the polls. “United we win, divided we fall,” is the mantra Rahul read out to these leaders. This mantra appeared to be working now.
Third point is getting battle ready party wings – BC, SC,ST, minority and women cells. Now these wings are either defunct or dysfunctional. Wooing minorities is top of their priority. Kharge told the leaders to get closer to caste bodies and community networks in the coming days. Congress wants to get back Muslims and Christians, once their vote back. Youth are other important target group for the party.
Fourth point is running a vigorous campaign. Party’s state leaders wanted presence of Priyanka and Sonia Gandhi meetings, as many as possible in Telangana. Sonia may not address many meetings due to poor health, but Priyanka agreed to come. Her first meeting maybe in Mahabubnagar district where former minister Jupally Krishna Rao will join the party in mid-July.
Fifth and last point is a guarantee card to voters. This worked well in Karnataka an they hope it will click in Telangana too. Already, Congress announced a farmers declaration and a youth declaration through the hands of Rahul and Priyanka. Now more such declarations will come out. A guarantee card with specific time bound promises like waiver of Rs 2 loan to farmers, free bus ride to women, 3 gas cyclinders to women etc will be announced.
