APCC to promise ‘Navyandhra Pradesh’

• To present vision document for all-round growth of AP State
• Chandrababu Naidu had concentrated only on capital areas

Hyderabad: The Congress party has decided to go to Seemandhra voters with the promise of ushering in ‘Navyandhra Pradesh’ with all-round development. Stating this during an interview to HMTV, APCC president N Raghuveera Reddy said that unlike the TDP which concentrated on development in and around Hyderabad only, the Congress would ensure that the development would be staggered across the residuary State. He said the party would come out with a vision document, laying a clear road-map for inviting investments, developing infrastructure like ports and creating huge employment prospects in the residuary state.

He said while large numbers of leaders were quitting the party, the party was presented with an opportunity to groom new leaders.

You are appointed as APCC president at a time when the party is facing a difficult situation in Seemandhra due to severe backlash from the people who fought against the bifurcation of the State. What is the major challenge before you?

First, I never expected that I would become the PCC chief of a State. In political life, there are good days and bad days to the party as well as its leaders. “Is it fair to abandon the mother who has attained old age or when she is in trouble? I was groomed in the Congress and I will remain in the party till I die.” The first major challenge before me, as the PCC chief, is to create confidence among the cadre and strengthen the party. I will seek the support of all party leaders and take the party forward.

Many Congress leaders including ministers are leaving the party from Seemandhra and are joining TDP. Your comment, please

Some leaders are quitting the party to win elections and secure posts. Winning elections and getting posts should not be the sole goal of the leaders of any party. They should first think about service to the people. When former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy died in a chopper accident, I was the first leader who proposed YSR’s son Jaganmohan Reddy as the CM of the State. But I had put the condition that Jagan should be in Congress only. I also warned N Kiran Kumar Reddy not to leave Congress as he attained great eminence due to the party only. Between 1978 and 1988, the party faced a severe crisis. Though many leaders left the Congress, it remained strong and the leaders who left the party became non-existent in politics. The influx of Congress leaders into the TDP will not go down well with the people who will not accept such leaders in elections. In fact, it will boomerang for the TDP. An astonishing fact is that TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu is admitting the same leaders into his party, whom he had criticised and dubbed as criminals and bootleggers. I dare Naidu to release a white paper on the credentials of the leaders who joined TDP from Congress.

How will you fill the void in the party created by exit of senior leaders who joined other parties in the recent times?

People from different sections are coming to me and are expressing their desire to contest elections. The party has already indentified suitable candidates who are interested in taking plunge into active politics. We will groom new generation leaders who will emerge as good leaders in the future. The second-rung leaders in the party will also be given priority in allotment of seats. It is also the right time for Congress to strengthen the party with new leaders.

After the bifurcation of state, caste-based politics seems to have taken centre-stage in the ensuing elections in the residuary state of AP. Will caste politics affect Congress?

It is a fact that polarisation is taking place in the State. But the Congress is the only political party enjoying the support of all sections. It is only Congress which appointed the PCC chiefs from among BC, SC and ST communities. The TDP which is claiming to be the champion of BCs never appointed a BC as the party Chief. The TDP chief made the promise to make the Telangana CM from BC community because he knows that his party will not even get double digit seats. The need of the hour is to convince people on the development plank and not by cheap politics. The party is committed to building “Navyandhra Pradesh” (Modern Andhra Pradesh). The vision document prepared by my party colleague A Ramanarayana Reddy will present a detail picture on how to develop the State through decentralised development. Unlike Hyderabad, every district will be developed, and employment will be provided to all. Ports and industries will be set up in all backward areas. The special status given to Seemandhra will be enough to fulfill the dreams of people.

What will be the impact of TDP-BJP alliance and the possibility of the support of Jana Sena Party led by Pawan Kalyan to it on the winning prospects of other parties?

Pawan Kalyan is a novice to politics. It is also premature to ascertain the impact of Jana Sena and the TDP-BJP alliance on the other parties in the election. I am surprised that Pawan who was nowhere when Seemandhra people fought against the division of State now raised the issue. It is not good on his part to target the Congress for the benefit of non-Congress parties. TDP chief’s eagerness to join hands with BJP has also surprised me. On one side, Naidu has been criticising BJP’s religion-based politics, and on the other he is forging alliance with the saffron party for political gains. It is also not true that the split of votes between Congress, YSR Congress and Jai Samaikyandhra Party would help the TDP- BJP alliance. Voter’s mindset will always change from one election to another.

Who will lead the campaign in Seemandhra on behalf of Congress?

AICC president Sonia Gandhi and party vice-president Rahul Gandhi will take part in the public meetings being organised as part of election campaign in the Seemandhra districts. I am confident that people will attend the meetings in a big way and there will not be any obstruction by other parties. It is not yet decided whether Sonia’s Gandhi’s daughter Priyanka would join the election campaign or not. The star election campaigner from Congress would be Union Minister K Chiranjeevi because he is a crowd-puller.