Congress ‘Mission 31’ to win SC, ST seats in Telangana

Following Punjab where it won 22 of 34 reserved seats

The Telangana Congress wants to replicate the Punjab model to capture the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) reserved seats with “Mission 31” programme creating leadership and strengthening existing ones.

Senior Congress leaders who spoke at the day-long session for leaders of various groups in SC and ST constituencies felt that Telangana has great potential for the Congress to garner maximum of the 31 reserved seats for SCs and STs.

AICC SC Cell chairman Koppula Raju explained the Punjab model which was developed by SDJM Prasad, AICC SC Cell incharge of Punjab, Karnataka, Telangana and AP, where the Congress won in 22 out of the 34 reserved constituencies and that too overcoming the massive impression Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had already created among Dalit communities. “In Telangana too we want to win maximum of the 31 seats,” he said.

Leadership development

As a part of the plan, Mr. Raju said, leadership will be created among all castes apart from the Dalit community. He felt not much work was done to create leadership in these constituencies. Now time and energy will be invested to reach the booth committees and touch every household. The training will happen over the next six months with focus on identifying the local opinion makers, influential among all castes and occupational groups to establish contact with them.

In each of the 31 constituencies six to seven leaders will be identified and will be given tasks and their work will be monitored, which will be recorded and will be crucial in the ticket distribution. Unlike previously these leaders are expected to identify local issues and fight on behalf of the people, Mr. Raju said.

Former Union Minister and ST Cell Chairman, Kishore Chandra Deo said that SC and ST leaders can also concentrate on general seats and if they are good enough he would ensure that they get nomination in the elections.

BJP criticised

Mr. Deo ridiculed the BJP for using the infrastructure created by the Congress and still questioning on Congress’s achievements in the last 60 years. They project India as the fastest growing economy and still criticise Congress without giving credit to it.

TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said both the BJP at the centre and the TRS in the state were deceiving Dalits. “They nominate a Dalit as President but keep mum on the growing violence on them,” he said. He criticised KCR charging him with forgetting the promise of three acres to Dalit families and pointing out that the 12% reservation proposed for STs will only be caught in the legal wrangles due to insincerity of the Government.