ADILABAD: AICC observers are visiting Assembly constituencies across the state to resolve internal conflicts, chiefly between likely candidates and other senior leaders, in a bid to pull together for the upcoming Assembly polls.
Sources said that senior leaders who do not get tickets are being promised posts and positions in the government, given the party comes to power, to ensure they extend their support to the candidates.
The strategy has been borrowed from Karnataka Congress, which successfully employed the manoeuvre to win the polls, as leaders who played a key role in the neighbouring state have been deployed as observers for the Telangana elections.
Meanwhile, AICC is likely to start its ground surveys from September first week, amid ongoing surveys by political advisor Sunil Kanugolu, to decide on its candidates.
Sources said that Congress is likely to announce its first list, of 30 candidates, by September 15. The list will mainly comprise names of leaders from constituencies where there is no internal strife or opposition to their candidatures.
Karnataka MLC Prakash Rathod, deputed as AICC observer for the Adilabad Parliamentary segment, said he would give party workers sufficient time to put forth their views or issues during his visit next month.
Rathod will visit Asifabad and Sirpur (T) constituencies on September 5 and the Adilabad constituency on September 11.
“During the visit, I will meet mandal leaders and booth-level party coordinators to focus on enrolment of new voters, for which September 19 is the last date’. In some mandals, there are two committees due to differences among leaders; I will resolve these differences,” he said.
The TPCC recently approved two committees for each mandal in Asifabad, Khanapur, and Sirpur (T) Assembly constituencies.
Sources said that constituency-level leaders were asked to organise the meetings with caste associations, trade unions, business communities, SHGs, Anganwadi associations and industrial labourers in the poll run-up.
Bazarhathnoor Congress ZPTC head Mallepula Narsaiah said: “It would be good if tickets were declared early instead of at the eleventh hour. Give party tickets to senior Congress leaders who are striving hard for the party for a long time, instead of parachute leaders.”
He said the party should select a candidate from the applications received by the last date, and not the leaders who failed to apply by August 25.
Mahmood Khan, Congress president of Ichoda blocked, appealed to AICC observers to ensure that the party announces tickets early for the SC and ST Assembly constituencies.
“Most times, new candidates are selected for the Boath Assembly constituency and it will take much time for such leaders to develop relations with the people, unlike general constituencies,” he said.
