Kamraj Plan can bolster TPCC

A lot many dramatic and futuristic changes need to be engineered by the central leadership if the Telangana Congress party has to regain a miniscule of the foothold that has been lost in Telangana State. Only by doing so can it aspire to emerge as a strong opposition to the ruling TRS.

Wiser from the electoral debacle, this seems to be the general thinking in the TPCC, which is ridden with internal differences, conflicts, groupism and an declared war for getting projected as a Chief Ministerial candidate, howsoever, remote the chances of it coming to power are.

The central leadership has failed to provide proper guidelines or pitchfork a leader, who could effectively coordinate with the State unit and give a new direction to it. Man-managerial skills seem to have deserted each and every leader worth his salt and one who could set the TPCC house in order.

To make matters worse, the recent visit of AICC Vice-President Rahul Gandhi has failed to ring in the sort of enthusiasm the party is desperately in need of at this critical juncture. Senior leaders lament that there has been no united onslaught against the incumbent government which is surviving despite scams one too many.

Given the precarious circumstances, what is the solution? The news that there would be a change in the AICC in-charge of State affairs has given a new thought to some senior party leaders, who feel that a lot more needs to be done to hope for some positive gains. Changing the in-charge alone would not help.

One doubts If its political fortunes will brighten if Digvijay Singh is replaced someone else. What, in fact, should happen is that the AICC should adopt version 2.0 of the Kamaraj Formula and the change should begin from there.

In 1963 Kamaraj, widely acknowledged as the original ‘kingmaker’ in Indian politics, had suggested to the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru that all senior Congress leaders holding ministerial office should resign and take to party affairs, a a suggestion that led to a major shake-up in the entire party hierarchy.

In the light of the electoral losses in Telangana and other parts of the country and compelled by the cadre and people in general about the need to resurrect the party, there is a definite need for version 2.0 of Kamaraj Plan feels the former Vice-Chairman NDMA and senior Congress leader, M Shashidhar Reddy.

May be this idea should be pondered over by all those state leaders who really want to see that Congress comes back to power. But then this needs consensus among all those TPCC leaders, who aspire to become the Chief Minister, including the Leader of the Opposition K Jana Reddy.

It is common knowledge that every senior Congress leader is working out his own strategies to become the Chief Minister, should the party come to power. This is even as the party is aware that that in the prevailing situation, the party is far away from the seat of power.

If the state party has to be galvanized, then a strong and dynamic leadership is the need of hour. This can happen only when a major shake-up is brought about by AICC. This would mean that it is time for members of the CWC and AICC office bearers to submit their resignations and give Rahul Gandhi a free hand to reorganize and revamp the central leadership and also the State unit of the party.

There should be more than a mere cosmetic organisational structure after new blood is infused at the national level and blend it with charismatic stalwarts. Lessons should be learnt from the recent success in Punjab where Capt Amarinder Singh delivered results while those holding national responsibilities failed.

The reason is that the so-called party veterans have distanced from feelings, thoughts and travails of the masses. These in-charges should return to their native states and contribute to the party’s revamp there.

A similar exercise should also be taken up in the TPCC so that the party can come out of the infighting and wake up to the ground realities and move forward. For as long as such drastic measures are not taken, there is no hope of the Congress party’s revival in Telangana State. And that is putting the matters plain and straight.

By V RAMU SARMA