Congress plans to kickstart TS campaign with Priyanka public meeting in Mancherial

ADILABAD: After a brief period in which all its party activities and focus shifted to two major issues — the TSPSC exam paper leaks and the national issues surrounding its leader Rahul Gandhi — the Telangana state Pradesh Congress Committee is hoping to get back into battle mode against the BRS government with a public meeting to be likely organised in Mancherial to be addressed by AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy is in Delhi for the Parliament session, on a mini break from his padayatra as part of the Haath Se Haath Jodo programme, during which, among others, he would try to get a confirmation from the AICC on Priyanka Gandhi's visit to Telangana.

The party expects to get several key issues and initiatives planned by the TPCC to be discussed and cleared during Priyanka Gandhi's visit. There were earlier reports that she would be taking greater interest in the party matters of the state.         

Senior Congress leaders are busy making all-out efforts to organise a massive public meeting. As per sources, the public meeting would be joined by CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who is on a padayatra in the area, and all senior leaders of the party.

It is interesting to note that given that it would likely be her first public meeting after Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification and house eviction notice episode, she would focus to attack only the BJP and the Centre, or also fire her salvos at the BRS government, especially given that both Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao strongly came out in support of Rahul Gandhi.

The Congress wants to send a strong message across sections of society that they would continue to fight against the autocratic BJP government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and its spiritual twin, the BRS government in the state.

The public meeting has assumed importance politically in the wake of Rahul Gandhi's disqualification and subsequent developments.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, former MLC Kokkirala Premsagar Rao said that they were making serious efforts to bring Priyanka Gandhi for the public meeting, but are awaiting her confirmation.

He informed that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has confirmed that he will attend the meeting, adding that the meeting would be organised by the Mancherial DCC, which is planning to mobilise over one lakh people from in and around Mancherial district.

Premsagar Rao said that tentatively, they are planning to conduct the meeting between April 5 and 9.

The Congress hopes the massive public meeting would boost the morale of the party ranks and file and motivate the cadre to take on BJP and its anti-people policies.

Party leaders say that Priyanka Gandhi would be a crowd-puller and star attraction as far as the meeting is concerned, and given her special bond with Telangana, will be a source of strength for the party in the state.