An intense debate is on amongst members of the ruling Congress, including ministers, on the party's prospects in the byelections that have just been concluded (for seven seats) and those that have to be held by the end of August (for 18 seats). Some serving and some former ministers took part in the debate held in the Assembly lobbies on Monday.
Reliable sources told this correspondent that the party leaders, after scanning through various survey reports, believe that the Congress may not win a single seat in the just concluded seven byelections. They are believed to have also taken into account the report of the survey organised by Vijayawada MP Lagadap-ati Rajagopal, that predicted massive wins for the TRS in the six seats in Telangana and for the YSR Congress in Kovur.
Another survey organised by a popular local TV channel engaged by AICC on the fate of forthcoming bypolls is also very clear that the YSR Congress will be able to retain a majority of the seats, with perhaps one or two seats going to the TD.
“There is no planning in the party on how to go about in the elections, it is quite evident that there is no coordination among the key functionaries in taking decisions, if the same situation continues, the Congress will have to face a debacle in polls,” the leaders opined. “Today it is seven segments, tomorrow it will be 17 seats, if we lose all the seats won by us in the 2009 elections, what will be the future of party in 2014,” a senior minister is said to have expressed.
At the same time, the Congress leaders are also not willing to demand a change in the state leadership, as they believe that this will lead to total anarchy in the party as there is no leader who is acceptable to all the three regions of the state. “The party's central leadership should step in and take corrective measures and ensure a change in the functioning of both the Chief Minister and the PCC chief,” another minister reportedly pointed out.