Meenakshi Natarajan to Participate in TPCC Meet Ahead of Crucial Local Polls
Meenakshi Natarajan, the newly-appointed Congress incharge for Telangana, will participate in the extended meeting of the TPCC along with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Cabinet ministers and state unit president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud, on February 28 at Gandhi Bhavan.
Hyderabad:Meenakshi Natarajan, the newly-appointed Congress incharge for Telangana, will participate in the extended meeting of the TPCC along with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Cabinet ministers and state unit president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud, on February 28 at Gandhi Bhavan.
Party MPs, MLAs, MLCs and senior leaders will take part in the meeting that is meant strategise for the upcoming local body elections.
Natarajan was appointed AICC incharge on February 14, replacing Deepa Dasmunsi. Her arrival was delayed due to the party's focus on the Graduate MLC election scheduled for Thursday, where the Congress is facing stiff competition from the BJP. As a result, she postponed her visit until February 28.
The Congress government is preparing to hold elections for gram panchayats, mandal parishads, zilla parishads, and municipalities in the first half of 2025. The tenure of gram panchayats ended in January 2024, while zilla parishads and mandal parishads completed their terms in July 2024. The municipalities' term ended in January 2025. In the absence of elected bodies, special officers are currently administering these local bodies.
These elections hold immense significance for the Congress, as CM Revanth Reddy aims for a sweeping victory to reinforce the party’s dominance. The Congress faces a tough challenge from opposition parties, the BJP and the BRS. Since these will be the first local body elections contested by Congress as the ruling party in Telangana, both central and state leaderships are leaving no stone unturned. Any adverse result could dent the party's image and provide an opportunity for the BJP and BRS to regain lost ground in the run up to the 2028 Assembly elections.
Adding to the party’s challenges are internal conflicts. Disputes among ministers and MLAs in certain districts, as well as tensions between veteran party members and recent entrants, have surfaced, causing concern within the leadership. Moreover, dissatisfaction among party leaders and workers has been growing due to the delay in appointing nominees to government and party positions. The long-pending cabinet expansion has further fueled discontent. Despite the Congress being in power for over 14 months, these delays have led to frustration within the ranks.
The TPCC executive committee is also awaiting restructuring following the Congress' electoral victory. While B. Mahesh Kumar Goud was appointed TPCC chief in September 2024, succeeding Revanth Reddy after his tenure ended in June 2024, numerous senior and junior leaders are vying for key posts within the TPCC. As AICC incharge, Meenakshi Natarajan is expected to address these issues and work towards fostering unity within the party ahead of the crucial local body elections.
