AICC for more seats to BCs

Rahul Gandhi's emissary interacts with State Congress leaders on the issue

Hyderabad: The AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi appears to be weighing the possibility of giving more seats to the Backward Classes during the 2014 general elections. State Congress leaders claim that this indication was available after the day-long exercise the emissary of Rahul Gandhi Madhusudhan Deyram Mistry had with district Congress committee presidents to assess the performance of the probables for the Lok Sabha elections.

The very fact that Mistry has been sent to the State with this major task just three days after the party accommodated leaders from the backward classes in the PCC executive and the interest he was showing in knowing about the composition of BCs in the state and the various sects and sub sects is a clear indication that the party high command wants to give greater preference to this community, a senior Congress leader said. Madhusudhan Mistry, a BC leader from Gujarat, has been sent to Hyderabad armed with the reports prepared by the earlier emissaries. Mistry, according to Congress leaders has been handpicked by Rahul Gandhi.

He has been tasked with the responsibility to directly interact with the State Congress leaders and prepare a strategy to strengthen the party and improve its chances of winning and to effectively counter the Jagan factor. Rahul is also understood to have asked Mistry to make a real time assessment about the T issue and gauge the electoral dynamics and caste composition in all the three regions. Most of the leaders from the T region told Mistry that unless Congress makes its stand clear on the issue of separate T state, it would face an uphill task in the elections. Mistry also sought suggestions from the DCC presidents on how to win maximum number of Lok Sabha seats in 2014. The state at present has 33 MPs belonging to the Congress party.

According to DCC presidents from East Godavari, D Venkateswarulu and Kurnool DCC president D Y Ramaiah, Mistry sought to know the caste composition in those districts, the ground political situation and the strength of the party as well as the impact of YSRCP and TDP. He also made enquiries about the BC declaration of TDP. During his interaction with DCCs of Telangana districts he inquired about the strongholds of TRS and the BJP. Mistry also asked them to give detailed report on the problems being confronted by the party along with information on aspirants from the party. The DCC presidents were asked about the performance and popularity of the MPs in their respective districts and if there was any probable alternative.

The DCC presidents are said to have complained about lack of coordination between the ministers and the party, C Ramachandra Reddy, DCC president Adilabad, told reporters. Rahul's emissary on Thursday held one-on-one talks with DCC presidents from Adilabad, Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Kurnool, Krishna, East Godavari, Guntur, Chittoor and Rajahmundry Urban. He also had a separate interaction with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana. Mistry will meet the remaining heads of DCCs on Friday and leave for Delhi to submit the report to his boss Rahul Gandhi there.

Mistry meets dcc chiefs

Hyderabad: The emissary of Rahul Gandhi Madhusudhana Mistry gave a shock to the PCC leaders when they wanted to host a lunch for him at a five-star hotel. Turning down their invitation, Mistry was understood to have told them that he just eats roti and sandwich. "I don't need any special arrangements for me," he told the leaders.

Similarly, the AICC point man chose to talk directly to the DCC chiefs by sitting in the room of PCC chief Botcha Satyanarayana. He was assisted by his personal assistant during the exercise and no other party leader was allowed to be present during those meetings. As the DCC presidents explained the situation in their respective districts and gave suggestions on how to strengthen the party, Mistry carefully noted down the points.

It is said that Mistry had played a key role in selecting the party candidates for the recently held assembly polls in Karnataka.