After receiving a drubbing in the by-elections and internal dissension in the party, the State Congress leadership has realised that the ground realities must be squarely addressed and has decided to hold a convention later this month to take stock of the situation.
Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) chief Botcha Satyanarayana on Wednesday said the proposed meeting would discuss threadbare the prevailing political situation. He told reporters that the meeting would be held in the last week of September in consultation with Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Party leaders said such a meeting was necessary, given the disgruntlement among the cadres and leaders. Internal bickering, clash of interests, mutual acrimony and attempt to create own groups have turned out to be a headache for the central leadership.
There is growing demand that the party take a serious view of the activities of certain leaders whose loyalties have become suspect after the by-polls.
A section of the leaders are pointing an accusing finger at the Ministers as well as the MLAs that they would switch their loyalties to the YSR Congress at the first given opportunity.
Book launch
The issue has come into sharp focus after the launch of a diary purportedly written by late Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and released by his Man Friday K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao. Senior leaders like V. Hanumantha Rao have objected to praising the late leader, whose son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy has vowed to defeat the ruling Congress.
Sources said issues such as reviving the party’s fortunes, chalking out an action plan to take on YSR Congress besides taking a stand on the statehood issue could be discussed at the convention.
