Congress' Telangana unit upbeat over CWC meeting, rally in Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Sep 4 (IANS) The Congress' Telangana unit is upbeat over the announcement by the party leadership that the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting will be held in Hyderabad on September 16 and 17.

Leaders of the state Congress believe that the meeting of the highest decision-making body of the party and a public rally will give the party a head start in the campaign for Assembly elections slated to be held in November-December this year.

The launch of the five guarantees for the state on the lines of the one announced in Karnataka and to release a charge sheet against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government in the state are expected to boost the morale of the Congress cadres in the run-up to the polls.

Hyderabad will be hosting the first meeting of the newly constituted CWC on September 16. There will be an extended meeting of the CWC on September 17, which will be attended by all the CWC Members, PCC Presidents and the CLP leaders.

The party is holding a key meeting in Hyderabad after more than 15 years.

On the evening of September 17, a massive public rally will be held near Hyderabad, where the party will launch the five guarantees for the upcoming Assembly elections.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former party President Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders will address the rally, which will signal the launch of the Congress poll campaign in Telangana.

Despite claiming credit for carving out Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the Congress had failed to capture power in the state twice.

The BRS (then TRS) had formed the first government in the newly created state in 2014, and retained power in 2018.

The series of electoral reverses and infighting had weakened the Congress in its former stronghold.

Following the party’s victory in recent Assembly elections in Karnataka, its leaders started to see realistic chances of a revival of the party's fortunes in Telangana. The party has succeeded in attracting some leaders from BRS.

Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and Kharge have also addressed public meetings in recent months.

Meanwhile, state Congress President A. Revanth Reddy has thanked the central leaders for deciding to hold the CWC meeting in Hyderabad. He said the TPCC will try to live up to the expectations of AICC.

"We are grateful for the honour bestowed upon us and will make this meeting a grand success," he said.

Revanth Reddy along with AICC incharge for Telangana Manikrao Thakre inspected the Secunderabad Parade Ground to discuss plans to hold a public meeting on September 17.

He said the CWC meeting will not only discuss Telangana elections but will also take stock of national politics. The coming Assembly elections in five states, Lok Sabha elections, electoral alliances, poll strategy and the measures required to further strengthen the party will be discussed.

The state Congress chief said the meeting will begin by greeting people of Telangana on the state liberation day. It was on September 17, 1948 that Hyderabad State had acceded to the Indian Union following military action.

Revanth Reddy noted that Kharge comes from erstwhile Hyderabad State and his family members were killed by ‘razakars’ Earlier, Congress General Secretary K. C. Venugopal said in Delhi that after the public meeting, the Congress President shall flag off the cavalcade of CWC Members, PCC Presidents and CLP Leaders who shall visit each of the 119 assembly constituencies of Telangana, for a night stay on September 17 and participate in the party programs on September 18 in the respective assembly segments allotted to each of them.

He said that the CWC Members, PCC Presidents and CLP Leaders shall interact with local leaders or workers and stay in the house of any Congress worker on Sunday night.

Venugopal said that on September 18, the CWC Members, PCC Presidents and CLP leaders shall attend the scheduled programmes in their respective assigned assembly seats in morning in a workers meeting and then participate in door to door distribution of five guarantees and charge sheet against the BRS government.

He said that on September 18 the party will have a community lunch with influencers and in evening Bharat Jodo March to Mahatma Gandhi or Ambedkar or Komaram Bheem statue.