While Kharge’s speech avoided explicit reference to the local body elections, the urgency of preparation was palpable. The elections are seen as a litmus test for Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s 18-month tenure, particularly his pro-farmer initiatives such as Rythu Bharosa, crop loan waivers totalling ₹21,000 crore, and promises of enhanced reservations for Backward Classes.
Published Jul 04, 2025 | 8:17 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 04, 2025 | 8:17 PM
Kharge’s visit also served as a critical intervention to address internal discord within the Telangana Congress.
Synopsis: AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge’s visit to Hyderabad focused on preparing the Congress party for the upcoming local body elections in Telangana, due by 30 September as per the High Court’s directive. Over two days, Kharge addressed internal party divisions, met with disgruntled leaders, and led a major rally at LB Stadium aimed at mobilising grassroots workers and reinforcing the party’s commitment to social justice and constitutional values.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge’s visit to Hyderabad on Friday, 4 July, appeared to galvanise party workers ahead of the crucial local body elections, which the Telangana High Court has directed must be held by 30 September.
Accompanied by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, Kharge’s two-day engagement in the state capital was also aimed at addressing internal rifts within the party and presenting a united front against the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The visit revolved around the Samajika Nyaya Samara Bheri event at LB Stadium, aimed at reaffirming the party’s avowed commitment to social justice, while focusing on grassroots mobilisation and strategic preparation for the upcoming local body elections.
Kharge’s address to an estimated 40,000 party workers appeared to resonate, with the AICC president describing grassroots leaders as the “soul of the party.”
“Without you, we would not be sitting on this dais. Full credit goes to you”, he told the village-level leaders who had gathered from across Telangana.
The emotional appeal seemed clearly intended to psychologically prepare the cadre for the gruelling electoral exercise, which will cover 12,815 gram panchayats, 5,817 Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies (MPTCs), 538 Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituencies (ZPTCs), along with municipalities and municipal corporations, engaging 1.67 crore rural voters.
The rally, part of the Congress’s nationwide “Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan” campaign, served as a platform to consolidate support around the party’s stance on defending the Constitution.
Kharge’s pointed criticism of BJP leaders Himanta Biswa Sarma and Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who recently called for the removal of the words “socialism” and “secularism” from the Constitution’s Preamble, seemed to reinforce the Congress’s positioning as a defender of constitutional values.
“We will not allow the BJP to remove the two words, which are the cornerstones of the Constitution,” Kharge said, challenging the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance to attempt such a move.
The upcoming local body elections are crucial for restoring elected grassroots governance.
Gram panchayats and MPTCs/ZPTCs have been under special officers since January and July 2024, respectively. This administrative vacuum has delayed access to Central funds worth ₹1,500 crore annually, affecting rural development.
A successful election outcome would enable the Congress to channel these funds effectively, potentially strengthening its position among rural voters.
While Kharge’s speech avoided explicit reference to the local body elections, the urgency of preparation was palpable.
The Telangana High Court’s deadline for the conduct of these elections has placed significant pressure on the ruling Congress to strengthen its organisational base.
The elections are seen as a litmus test for Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s 18-month tenure, particularly his pro-farmer initiatives such as Rythu Bharosa, crop loan waivers totalling ₹21,000 crore, and promises of enhanced reservations for Backward Classes (BCs).
A strong performance could validate the Congress government’s governance model and bolster its narrative ahead of the 2028 Assembly and 2029 General Elections.
Conversely, a weak showing risks fuelling anti-incumbency, as internal party surveys suggest growing public dissatisfaction with several Congress MLAs.
Kharge’s visit, along with strategic meetings of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) and the Political Affairs Committee (PAC) at Gandhi Bhavan, appeared aimed at ensuring grassroots mobilisation.
By directly engaging with state leaders, Kharge and Venugopal made an effort to encourage emerging leadership and streamline campaign strategies.
The party’s focus on the caste census and the Telangana Backward Classes (Reservation of Seats in Rural and Urban Local Bodies) Bill, 2025 – proposing a 42 percent quota for BCs – is intended to consolidate support among marginalised communities.
However, the proposed reservation exceeds the Supreme Court’s 50 percent cap, and its approval by the Central government remains uncertain, presenting both legal and political challenges.
Kharge’s visit also served as a critical intervention to address internal discord within the Telangana Congress. Reports of infighting, corruption allegations, and regional imbalances in cabinet representation have threatened party unity.
On Thursday, Kharge held one-on-one meetings with ministerial aspirants, including K Prem Sagar Rao (Mancherial), Malreddy Ranga Reddy (Ibrahimpatnam), P Sudarshan Reddy (Bodhan), T Rammohan Reddy (Parigi), and N Balu Naik (Devarakonda).
These legislators voiced grievances over being overlooked for cabinet positions despite their long-standing loyalty to the party. In turn, Kharge assured them of future opportunities.
Endowments Minister Konda Surekha and her husband, former MLC Konda Murali, also met Kharge, where they were given an earful over their quarrelling with other MLAs in the district.
Several Warangal Congress legislators have accused the Konda couple of adopting domineering tactics.
Similar tensions are visible in constituencies such as Gajwel, Jagtial, Banswada, Chevella, Gadwal, Station Ghanpur, Bhadrachalam, and Patancheru, where divisions persist between original Congress workers and recent BRS defectors who joined the party – such as Jagtial MLA Sanjay.
These faultlines, exemplified by senior leader T Jeevan Reddy’s vocal opposition to Sanjay in Jagtial, pose a threat to party cohesion if left unresolved.
At the Political Affairs Committee meeting, Venugopal’s stern warning that the party would not tolerate actions that damage its image appeared to set a clear Lakshman rekha for dissenting leaders.
His comments came in the presence of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, and TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud.
Meanwhile, Kharge’s visit was also met with protests. Posters targeting the Congress’s “Save the Constitution” slogan appeared across Hyderabad during his visit, bearing messages such as “Jai Bapu, Violence is our weapon” and “Jai Samvidhan, Constitution is of no importance to us.”
Congress leaders dismissed these posters as an instance of BRS’s “cheap politics.”
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
