The Congress party seems to be having a tough time to find a proper person to take over as the president of the city unit, the political nerve centre of the newly formed State.
APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy announced after bifurcation that the city would be the headquarters of the newly formed state. There was even talk about renovating Andhra Ratna Bhavan, spending Rs. 15 lakh, to meet future needs.
Selecting a new president for the Vijayawada city committee has become a formidable task for the party leadership with two local groups vying to capture the post. As if to rub salt into the wound the current president Adapa Siva Nagendra Rao, on Wednesday, announced that he was quitting Congress to join the BJP.
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The PCC president acted swiftly and placed Mr. Nagendra Rao under suspension for “indulging in anti-party activities” and made working president Meesala Rajeswara Rao in-charge.
There is a struggle for the city Congress president post between the followers of former Minister Devineni Rajasekhar (Nehru) and former MLA Malladi Vishnu. While the Nehru group is propping up Kadiyala Butchibabu as the candidate, Mr. Vishnu is said to be interested in the post himself.
The Nehru group, to which Mr. Butchibabu is affiliated, is virtually running the show in the Andhra Ratna Bhavan while the other group is citing the alleged irregularities during the earlier six-year stint by Mr. Butchibabu to disqualify him. The group is also harping on the possibility of some sections distancing themselves from the party fold if Mr. Butchibabu was made the president.
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With Mr. Nagendra Rao removing himself from the equation, Mr. Rajeswara Rao, who is acceptable to all, has elevated himself to the status of yet another “potential candidate”.
Congress party leaders and activists are hopeful that the Congress party would bounce back to power in the next Assembly elections. Vijayawada being the capital will become the State headquarters and location of the APCC president’s office.