The Congress' blues in AP

DESARAJU SURYA

Hyderabad: The blues of 1980s and 1990s seem to be returning to haunt the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh.

Dissidence, that has been the hallmark of the Congress, is raising its head once again in the state party even as its central leadership remains nonchalant.

The party has been largely in disarray for over 21 months now – after the death of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy to be precise – but the so-called high command failed to steer it out of the muddle.

So much so that the Congress government is not even in a position to celebrate its anniversary, due on May 20, this year.

Majority of the state ministers and legislators are gunning for the head of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, who failed to prove his leadership even six months after getting into the saddle.

While the Telangana statehood issue has become another headache for the Congress, the biggest threat looms in the form of Y S Jaganmohan Reddy who is eating into the party’s base particularly in the Andhra-Rayalaseema regions.

The Congress is, however, unable to contend with any of these factors despite the damage being done to the party across the state.

The party’s indecisiveness on the Telangana issue needs no special mention while it has developed cold feet in cracking the whip on legislators and leaders openly sailing with Jagan even after he launched the YSR Congress party.

Also, the “lack of co-ordination” between the government and the party in the state has become a point of intense debate in Congress circles here.

Kiran Kumar Reddy, who heads the government, and D Srinivas, who leads the party, are said to be not on good terms, thereby pushing the cadres into chaos, Congress sources admit.

“The current situation is reminiscent of the scene in 1982 when the Telugu Desam took birth as a powerful regional party that eventually marginalised the Congress. Now, the YSR Congress is born and poses a similar threat,” a veteran PCC leader observed.

There is disillusionment in the Congress rank and file that the high command has not been caring to set the house in order in general and keep Jagan under check in particular.

In fact, this was the message that most of the senior leaders conveyed to AICC general secretary, in charge of AP affairs, Ghulam Nabi Azad during his two-day visit to the state.

But, they reportedly failed to get any assurance from Azad except that there would not be any change of guard despite the demand for replacement of Kiran Kumar Reddy.