The Telangana Congress is working on a ‘six-point formula’ to regain power in the 2019 general elections in the State, and, more importantly, the formula would be taken to people one year in advance.
The ‘six-point formula’ is quite dear to Telangana and emotionally attached to people here as its violation by successive Governments has actually triggered the Telangana agitation. It wants to connect with the masses using the formula but with issues dear to people.
The six issues that the party wants to focus are: total farm loan waiver in the first year itself; 24-hour power supply to farmers; constructing additional room to the present Indiramma houses and new Indiramma two-bedroom houses; filling all vacancies in the Government departments; continuation of fee reimbursement; and strengthening the self-help groups financially.
These would be taken vigorously to each and every household in addition to explaining the ‘failures’ of the Government and its ‘unkept’ promises to the youth and every woman who was expecting a double bedroom house. “The party feels with abundant availability of power in the country now, 24-hour supply will not be a major challenge. The amount to be waived for farmers would be announced when the party manifesto is released,” TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
A radical change in its approach to elections would be seen with the party contemplating announcing candidates for about 70 constituencies one year in advance. These 70 constituencies are where the Congress feels the TRS is likely to perform poorly due to the candidates’ image and its inability to create the grassroot level cadre structure.
‘Rahul positive’
“When the idea was mooted the All India Congress Committee (AICC) responded positively,” a senior leader explained. AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who is likely to take up the party mantle soon, is quite positive on the early announcement of candidates. It is also said the party is in no mood to change the state leadership and will go to polls under the present president only.
Another new decision it wants to try out is releasing the manifesto one year in advance so that the promises percolate down to the bottom with some clarity. “The elections will not be advanced in Telangana unless the Central Government makes a similar move. Even if they are advanced we want to be battle-ready and in right frame of mind,” senior leaders said. “Last time we lost as we could not take our manifesto to people properly and people believed in KCR’s poll promises.”
