PCC rejig to begin soon

Hyderabad: After taking charge, Congress president Sonia Gandhi has started the exercise to overhaul the organisation which includes changing the state Congress chiefs. The high command wants to give importance to young leaders, sources said.

After the Congress debacle in the Lok Sabha elections, several state PCC chiefs had resigned owing responsibility for the defeat. In some states, the PCC chiefs are facing dissidence. In addition, three states, Maharashtra, Haryana and Goa, will be going to polls later this year.

Keeping all this in view, the Congress high command has taken up the appointment of PCC chiefs on priority.

The Congress will first focus on states affected by infighting like Karnataka, those where the PCC chiefs have resigned and those going to the polls.

In the Telugu states, AP Congress chief president N. Raghuveera Reddy has resigned and asked the high command to appoint his successor. According to sources, the high command is considering former Union minister M.M. Pallam Raju. Sources said the fact he belongs to the Kapu caste is a plus point.

There is no competition for the PCC post in AP where the party has failed to open its account in the Assembly in two consecutive elections.

In Telangana state, PCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has told the high command that he is ready to step down whenever it wants. TS Congress leaders said that there was no urgency to replace Mr Reddy but some party leaders are pushing the high command to do so.

After the Huzurnagar Assembly byelection, the high command may concentrate on the TS Congress chief’s post. If Mr Reddy is to be replaced, the Congress will need an implacable foe of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

According to sources, the names of Congress MP A. Revanth Reddy and MLC T. Jeevan Reddy are under consideration. There is a demand from some leaders to change Mr R.C. Khuntia as the AICC incharge.