Admitting that they had failed to stall the division of the State, senior Seemandhra Congress leaders have decided to back the Central leadership and make concerted efforts to revive the party in the region.
As part of backing the high command to the hilt despite the Seemandhra region’s voice going unheard, a section of the party seniors feel that they should take the initiative and see that party cadres do not desert the Congress.
They plan to adopt a two-pronged strategy by first trying to convince the Congress cadres not to take a hasty decision to quit the party. Secondly, they plan to pressurise the Centre to provide much needed funds to develop the new capital. PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana began interactive sessions with the district Congress units to arrest the flight of party men to other parties.
Former Ministers such as Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, N. Raghuveera Reddy and Vatti Vasant Kumar feel that people and party men should be convinced that Seemandhra leaders fought till the end to stall division. Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy and Mr. Raghuveera Reddy on Friday said: “Time has come for us to reconcile to the fact that there will be two separate States. Our priority now is to revive the party and ensure that the new Andhra Pradesh comprising 13 districts of Seemandhra is developed rapidly,” Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy said.
Agreeing that Congress was on the defensive in Seemandhra because of the widespread anger against it, he said all steps should be taken by leaders to convince the cadre not to defect to other parties. They exuded confidence that all round development could take place in the new State if the Congress leaders put in their best efforts.
AP Congress committee spokesperson Paladugu Venkat Rao felt there was no purpose of staying back in Telangana State after division. It is in the best interests of Seemandhra people that the administration of the new State should be carried out from Andhra Pradesh and not Telangana. “We cannot live here facing abuse and humiliation,” he added.
