Telangana Congress Rift Deepens as 'Old Guard' Feels Sidelined
The Telangana Congress is facing a deepening rift between the 'old guard' and the 'ex-TDP, BRS' leaders who joined the party before the 2023 Assembly elections.
According to sources, the 'old guard' is feeling sidelined by the 'ex-TDP, BRS' leaders, who are allegedly being given preferential treatment by the party leadership.
Several Congress MLAs, including Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, Anirudh Reddy, and Chinna Reddy, have expressed their displeasure with the party's functioning and the treatment meted out to them.
They have accused the party leadership of ignoring their grievances and not addressing their concerns.
One of the main issues is the pendency of posts promised to them, which has led to a sense of frustration and disillusionment among the 'old guard'.
Another issue is the displacement of local loyalists' networks, which has led to a sense of betrayal among the 'old guard'.
Party Leaders Try to Address the Rift
Party leaders, including Congress MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy and Pavan Nerella, have acknowledged the problem and have suggested remedial measures to address the rift.
They have suggested that the party leadership should spend more time with MLAs and address their grievances, and that the AICC should take a serious view of the goings-on in Telangana.
They have also suggested that the party should adopt the Karnataka formula of giving 75 percent of the nominated posts to old Congressmen and the remaining to the new ones who have joined.
Coordination Committee to Decide Post Allocations
Sources in the party have told ThePrint that a coordination committee under the aegis of AICC in charge Meenakshi Natarajan would decide post allocations henceforth, rather than the exercise being an arbitrary one favouring particular castes or sections.
The party is trying to address the rift by forming a coordination committee to decide post allocations and by adopting the Karnataka formula.
However, the 'old guard' is still feeling sidelined and is demanding that their grievances be addressed.
The rift within the Telangana Congress is a serious issue that needs to be addressed urgently.
