The announcement of the new Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief may be delayed by a few days despite the party’s efforts to complete the process by December-end with the aspirants continuing to put pressure in New Delhi.
The delay, according to sources, was to pacify the aspirants whose name might not be considered for various reasons. AICC incharge Manickam Tagore who submitted the result of the exercise he had undertaken for four days in Hyderabad. has now gone back to Chennai. He is likely to return to New Delhi on December 22. So the process is likely to move further only after that.
A senior leader also said buying some time will also heal the hurt feelings of aspirants who may be indicated through various sources as to why their names were not being considered. They will also be involved in the final consultation process to give them some assurance. “We want to take a right decision and not an early decision,” a senior leader said wishing anonymity.
The outcome of the exercise is with AICC president Sonia Gandhi and whenever she gives time the process will get expedited. Party sources said she is not giving appointment to anyone for health reasons as of now.
Menwhile, some of the aspirants were in New Delhi to lobby even after the AICC in-charge conducted a massive exercise of meeting 162 people right from Parliaments members, AICC members, PCC members to the district Congress chiefs. “They expressed varied opinions without fear and suggested some names despite not having good relations with them. So ultimately it was in the interests of the party.”
The top contenders for the post Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, A. Revanth Reddy, D. Sreedhar Babu and Bhatti Vikramarka continued their efforts. Mr. Venkata Reddy met Rahul Gandhi and apparently explained his position. He is also said to have met AICC President, Sonia Gandhi though there was no confirmation.
Revanth Reddy was in New Delhi for the meeting of Parliamentary Committee on Defence in which he is a member along with Rahul Gandhi. He had a chance to speak to him during their meeting but what transpired in that meeting is not known. Revanth Reddy has been maintaining a stoic silence eversince the selection exercise was taken up by Mr. Tagore and did not openly staked claim with the media or Congress workers.
