T'gana unit Cong in-charge stresses need for unity in view of polls

Hyderabad, Jan 21: Aiming to end the infighting and forge unity in the Congress party in Telangana ahead of this year's Assembly elections, the new in-charge for the party in the state Manikrao Thakare made it clear on Saturday that he neither is in anyone's favour nor against someone.

He asked the party's state unit leaders to work with unity and if they are any issues bring them to his notice. He advised them not to speak on the internal issues before the media as this would damage the party's interests.

Addressing the extended executive meeting of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) in Hyderabad, the in-charge told the leaders that his duty is to act as per the orders of the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

He asked the party leaders to make the 'Hath Se Hath Jodo' programme in the state a huge success like Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Jodo Yatra'.

Thakare directed the party leaders and cadres to work with unity to take the programme to every village and every street. He told the participants in the meeting that Rahul Gandhi undertook the nation-wide yatra in a bone-chilling cold and it is 'our responsibility to take the message of the yatra' to every house.

The AICC in-charge said TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy will undertake yatra in at least 50 Assembly constituencies in the state and asked senior leaders to cover another 20-30 constituencies.

Thakare said everyone in the party should work hard to make the yatra successful in view of the coming Assembly elections. "If all of us work together, the Congress party will definitely win the election and come to power," he said.

Revanth Reddy said Hath Se Hath Jodo Yatra in Telangana will begin on February 6 and will continue for two months. He said a resolution was passed during the meeting, appealing to the central leadership to arrange a day's visit to Telangana by Priyanka Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi.

He said the yatra would be formally launched from Bhadrachalam on January 26.

The meeting was attended by Revanth Reddy, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, former PCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy, three AICC incharge secretaries and other leaders.

Manikrao Thakare also had meetings with the Campaign Committee, Election Management Committee and AICC Program Implementation Committee Chairman regarding expansion of these committees and their work.

The AICC on January 4 appointed Thakare as the new in-charge amid infighting in the party's state unit.

Thakare, a senior leader from Maharashtra replaced Manickam Tagore, who was shifted to Goa following complaints by a section of senior leaders he had been supporting Revanth Reddy and taking unilateral decisions.

A section of senior leaders had last month slammed Revanth Reddy for packing the party panels with his loyalists.

They had also announced to save Congress in Telangana movement, terming it a fight between what they called real Congress and the leaders who came from other parties. This was an open attack on Revanth Reddy and others who quit Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to join Congress a few years ago.

A day after senior leaders raised the banner of revolt, 13 loyalists of Revanth Reddy had announced resignations from party posts.

The crisis had forced the high command to send senior leader Digvijay Singh to Hyderabad. He individually met the leaders from both the groups and based on the feedback received submitted a report to the high command.