'It is Congress that brought Telangana state' says Ponnala Lakshmaiah
Hyderabad: Ponnala Lakshmaiah, 70, the first PCC president of the Telangana state, is definitely well suited for his job. His oratory skills, fluency and command over English, Hindi and Telugu apparently impressed AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi who cleared him for the top post.
An MS Engineering graduate, Mr Lakshmaiah had previously worked for the Nasa in the US for 15 years before returning in 1978 to enter politics with the Congress. He has also been an industrialist with a wide knowledge in computers.
A four-time winner from Jangaon Assembly segment in Warangal district, the hotbed of the Telangana movement, Mr Lakshmaiah has been a minister in several Congress governments. Mr Lakshmaiah, who belongs to the Munnuru Kapu caste, a backward community, claims that the newly-carved Telangana state has the distinction of having more than 80 per cent Backward, SC, ST and minority communities. He says that the formation of Telangana itself would be the USP for the Congress in the coming elections.
What is the situation like in Telangana? Is it favourable to Congress?
Congress is stronger now in Telangana. We have fulfilled the 56-year-long commitment because of the tough stand taken by Sonia Gandhi. She stood like a rock in taking the Telangana decision. At the same time, it will take some time to rebuild the party in Seemandhra. I hope Seemandhra people will support the Congress because it granted special status and packages for them.
Why were you chosen by Sonia and Rahul, ignoring claims of other senior leaders like Jaipal Reddy and Jana Reddy?
It is natural that there were many aspirants for the top post. I don’t know what was in the high command’s mind in selecting me as PCC chief.
Is it because you belong to the Backward community?
I think they may have weighed the fact of nearly 88 per cent of the total population belonging to BCs, SCs, STs, and minorities. BCs constitute 50.8 per cent of 88 per cent.
Were you selected because you impressed Rahul in the interview, where others failed?
I am not aware of that. I joined the Congress in 1978. Without any post I worked for the party for seven years. I contested six times and won four times. I never crossed the party Lakshmana Rekha. My political life has been in the Congress. It is not a question of one passing and another failing in interviews. Only one will be selected for one post.
What is your USP for polls? How are you going to run the election campaign?
Our USP is Jai Telangana and Jai Sonia Gandhi. We brought Telangana state, we will bring Golden Telangana. That is going to be our main slogan. But we are facing a unique situation now. We have never had all the elections — to municipalities, panchayati raj institutions, Assembly and Lok Sabha — held within four weeks. Time is short. The Congress cadre is there in each and every nook and corner of Telangana. We expect Sonia and Rahul to address big poll meetings here next month.
What about the lakhs of people who came from other parts and settled here? Some reports say those people will vote against the Congress this time.
I don’t think so. Whoever is living here is a Telanganite. Congress won’t discriminate on these lines. We have never issued statements like ‘Jago’ ‘Bhago’ etc. There is no aversion to them. They all love Congress and Congress also loves them.
Will you go alone or have tie-ups with like-minded parties?
We are not for alliance with the TRS as of now. If the high command desires to have a tie-up with the TRS, that is a different issue. At best, we may have an alliance with the CPI. We have already held talks with them. With regard to MIM, we never had an electoral understanding with the party. We may have an understanding in some constituencies.
Don’t you think the presence of the TRS in Telangana will hamper Congress’ prospects?
It is all media hype that TRS has an edge in the coming polls. In an electoral understanding with the TRS in 2004, we gave them 42 Assembly seats. They contested in 56, but won only 26. In 2009, they went with the TD, which gave them 50 seats, but they could win only 10 seats. They lost in the Singareni coal belt elections; they lost in all municipal and panchayati elections held during the last 10 years. KCR and Vijayashanti were elected with slender margins in Lok Sabha polls. This is their electoral performance.
What about the TD and BJP?
They are already marginalised. There is no Modi wave here. Everyone saw how BJP leaders tried to scuttle the T Bill in Parl-iament. They (the BJP) never denied it when Naidu said that he stalled formation of Telangana in 2000. The TD is non-existent in Telangana.
How many seats will you win in elections?
There is a wave in favour of the Congress. I expect a minimum 100 Ass-mbly and 15 Lok Sabha seats for the Congress.
Can Telangana people expect a BC leader like you to be the first CM of their state?
Not I, but the Congress high command and Congress Legislature Party will decide that.
Will you accept the post if it is offered?
If high command decides in my favour, I will.
