Rahul's emissary gets a whiff of Telangana sentiment

Bifurcate or face drubbing at hustings: Congress leadersA Hyderabad: As a part of assessing the political situation in the State, AICC vice president's emissary Amar Kale met Congress leaders from Ranga Reddy district, including Union Minister of State for Transport Sarve Satyanarayana and Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy, at Gandhi Bhavan, on Monday. The meeting was meant to study the reason behind the Congress leaders' shifting loyalties to YSRCP and to know the prospects of the Congress in the 2014 polls. The leaders told him in clear terms that unless Congress comes out with a clear road map to bifurcate the State, it would have to a pay heavy price in the next elections. Kale was also told about the power crisis which needs to be addressed urgently. "Several small scale industries are on the verge of closure and this could have serious impact on the poll prospects," leaders told him. "Unless the party leadership takes an initiative to bring coordination among the rank and file and puts a check to the dissensions within the party, it will have to face rough weather in 2014 general elections," they said. The marathon meeting with Kale was centred mostly on the two Lok Sabha seats of Malkajgiri and Chevella in Ranga Reddy district. Leaders from Maheswaram mandal in Ranga Reddy district lobbied for Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy and her son Karthik Reddy. They said that if the Congress High Command decides not give the seat to Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy, then it should consider either Sabitha or her son's name. Later in the evening, both Sabitha and her son met Kale. Talking to media after meeting Kale, Textiles Minister Gaddam Prasad Kumar said that the emissary would submit a report to Rahul Gandhi, but a final decision on who should get the ticket will be taken by Sonia Gandhi. He said that he would support the party candidate whosoever it may be. Sitting MP and Union Minister of State for Transport Sarve Satyanarayana made a strong plea for his re-nomination from the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency. He told Kale that in 2009, many people had opposed his name and the then chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy wanted to send him to Warangal. But, he had proved his strength from Malkajgiri. During his 45-minute meeting with Kale, Satyanarayana was asked about the dissensions in the party and why people were leaving Congress and joining the YSRCP. The Minister told him that there was need for better coordination in the party. "Dissension and people quitting the party is not new for the Congress. If the party leadership can carry all sections along with them, the party will certainly return to power for the third consecutive time," he said. Malkajgiri MLA A Rajender during his interaction with Kale told him that the incumbency factor was pretty high. He said that the two major issues that could cost the party during the elections are the power crisis and the Telangana issue. "Many industries, small scale units in particular, are facing severe power problem and are closing down. Though the government has given some relief to the common man from the power tariff hike, it will face serious opposition from the industry if the power crisis is not sorted out," he said adding, "If the rains fail this year also, the government will be in deeper trouble." He also said that the members of the party were unhappy because those who joined the party during the 2009 elections were given importance, while the party flag-bearers were ignored. He said that the cadre was also unhappy that the government had not filled the nominated posts so far.