A Revanth Reddy eyes lost glory in Greater Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Having been pushed to the corner by the ruling TRS and a resurgent BJP, the new look Telangana Congress led by A Revanth Reddy wants to regain the lost ground in Greater Hyderabad.
Of the total 150 seats in GHMC, Congress could manage to win only two in the elections held to the civic body in December 2020. Congress salvaged some pride by defeating the BJP in Lingojiguda ward bypoll, taking its tally in the GHMC council to three seats. In the 2018 assembly polls, Congress had failed to win even a single seat from the 14 assembly seats in Hyderabad and Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituencies.

While the TRS swept a majority of 24 assembly segments in Greater Hyderabad and the AIMIM won seven seats. Congress candidate D Sudheer Reddy managed to win LB Nagar seat falling under Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency, but later defected to the TRS.
Given the infighting in the Congress, the think-tank of the new team has suggested a few strategies to revive the electoral prospects of the party. The first of the strategies is to divide the city into four zones based on the number of GHMC wards and assembly constituencies located in each of the four parliamentary constituencies of Hyderabad, Secunderabad, Malkjagiri and Chevella.
Revanth Reddy confirmed to TOI that they will soon take a decision after consultations with all the stakeholders to ensure that Congress emerges as a force to reckon with again in Greater Hyderabad. There is a proposal to appoint a team of young and senior leaders comprising working presidents, vice-presidents, district and mandal presidents, former MPs, MLAs, MLCs and ex-ministers and give them the responsibility of reviving the party in each ward, assembly segment and parliamentary constituency as a whole, a party leader said.
Among other options is appointing separate city presidents for twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Rangareddy and Medchal Malkajgiri districts who will work under a high-level team comprising seniors for each assembly constituency. The city Congress president post is lying vacant now as Anjan Kumar Yadav, who was holding the post, has been elevated as the working president of the state Congress.
Revanth Reddy-led team is now looking out for a strong leader from the city to take on the TRS, BJP and AIMIM. “It is not going to be an easy task. Congress had won 14 seats in Greater Hyderabad in 2009 assembly polls but there after it’s been a downhill. The big brains in the new team have suggested strategies to put the party back on track,” said a leader.