An X (Twitter) poll gone wrong and a hush-hush meeting of MLAs to vent their ire on ministers has set off alarm bells for the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government in Telangana.
Published Feb 02, 2025 | 7:10 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 03, 2025 | 2:58 PM
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Synopsis: Internal issues within Telangana’s Congress party have resurfaced, highlighted by a failed social media poll and a dinner meeting where MLAs voiced grievances about ministers. The poll, manipulated by rivals, damaged the party’s reputation, and internal factions are now competing for key positions. Despite some government successes, dissatisfaction among party leaders and the public is growing, with criticism over unfulfilled promises and lack of leadership energy.
Are the old ways of the Congress – dissensions and internal squabbles, beginning to reemerge and bite the ruling party in Telangana? Events during the week that just concluded suggest so.
If an online poll conducted by the Congress’s official X (previously Twitter) handle had gone horribly wrong, a dinner meeting of about 10 MLAs targeting two ministers turned out to be the first indicator that not all was well.
With most of the 10 MLAs belonging to the Mahabubnagar district, home to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, he quickly got into action to douse the fire but the issues raised by the legislators reflect the government’s bad health, which required surgery to stop it from worsening.
It all started with what was a routine social media exercise by political parties. The X handle of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) put out a poll asking people to vote on which of the two they prefer — “farmhouse rule” (read KCR) or “people’s rule” (the current Congress one).
Having put it up, the least those manning the social media should have done was to manage it well. However, the poll was hijacked by political rivals within hours and the results showed two-thirds preferring “farmhouse rule”. The Opposition BRS, not surprisingly, seized the opportunity to publicise the results, and it garnered almost a million impressions.
Even though it left the Congressmen red-faced, the entire episode did not go down well with Revanth Reddy or PCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud because of the huge negative impact the poll caused at the ground level.
Informed channels told South First that the first casualty will be revealed next week. Both the chief minister and the PCC chief have reportedly decided to have a new person appointed for the chairmanship of Telangana Technology Services. The same person also manages the social media wing of TPCC. The post is currently held by Manne Sateesh, who had helped Revanth Reddy when he was in the Opposition.
The two alternatives being considered are Peddapalli MP Vamshi and Amit, son of Telangana Legislative Council chairman Gutta Sukhender Reddy. Vamshi’s father, Vivek, is a legislator and owns a Telugu newspaper and channel. Vivek is among the aspirants for a ministerial berth.
There was considerable opposition from within the party when Sukhender was admitted to the Congress from BRS. Not stopping with that, his son Amit, was favoured with the chairmanship of a dairy corporation. Congress strategist Sunil Kanugolu is reportedly pushing Amit’s name.
Senior Congress leaders suspect sabotage from within over the poll going wrong. The social media wing is divided into groups led by Manne Sateesh and others but the damage being caused on account of their disjointed functioning cannot be ignored.
Even as this poll episode was playing out, a group of MLAs met over dinner and vented their ire at two ministers, primarily Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy. Their grouse is that lands owned by them and their followers are not being regularised and they accused the minister of demanding a stake of 40 percent plus commission to clear the files. They are also reportedly unhappy over the finance department not clearing their pending bills while those of BRS leaders were passed.
In essence, the meeting of the MLAs is not about any people-related issues but about the unequal sharing of the spoils.
Interestingly, the rebel MLA who organised the meeting, Anirudh Reddy, represents the Jadcherla constituency in the Mahabubnagar district and is a known protégé of Roads & Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy.
When the PCC chief called Ponguleti to know his version, the minister reportedly commented that the government would fall if he favourably considered the requests being made by the legislators in question. And he wouldn’t care for the MLAs’ outbursts.
If this is the state of affairs in the government, Congressmen have begun speaking openly about a lack of energy in the functioning of TPCC. Mahesh Goud found time to go on multiple foreign trips since assuming office but has so far not even completed all the district level review meetings. The TPCC body is yet to be constituted. Despite the government implementing some of the poll promises, ruling party leaders rue the fact that they have not been able to reap the political dividend.
There are more unhappy than happy faces over the partial loan waiver, and free bus rides for women have not given the desired results even as people’s voices over other promises not being delivered are growing shriller by the day.
The PCC was also unable to ensure that party leaders do not cross the Lakshmana Rekha. Legislator Danam Nagender, who switched from the BRS to Congress, has openly spoken out against some of the actions of the government. Another legislator, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, an aspirant for a ministerial berth, publicly praised KCR for some of his schemes. Teenmar Malllanna, who won the MLC election on a Congress ticket, is not losing any opportunity to attack his party, particularly the Reddy community. The PCC has not been able to rein them.
Congressmen are also resenting the continuing interference and exertion of influence of a retired bureaucrat, who claims to be close to Rahul Gandhi, in various appointments. This, despite strict instructions to him from the high command not to meddle in Telangana affairs.
Meanwhile, Mahesh Kumar Goud has taken care of himself. The government has allotted him a house in the quarters meant for ministers and he has also been provided an escort. Even assuming he would pay rent for the quarter, how and why this benefit, has no answer.
A Congress MP, Suresh Shetkar, who won from Zaheerabad, is also being allotted a minister’s quarter. Both quarters are being readied at the cost of the public exchequer. The defense being given is that a BRS MLA was also given a minister quarter during the BRS rule. What is being forgotten is that the BRS paid a heavy price for being unresponsive to people’s opinions.
