C PRADEEP KUMAR
As the 2024 general elections draw near, political fervour has surged across Andhra Pradesh, with all major political parties intensifying their campaigns throughout the state. YS Sharmila, the recently appointed APCC chief, has embarked on a statewide tour to rally support for the upcoming elections, targeting both the ruling YSRCP and the opposition TDP for the lack lustre development post-bifurcation in 2014.
In an interesting turn of events, the Congress party’s high command has reportedly enlisted the support of prominent leaders from Telangana to bolster their campaign efforts in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh for the impending 2024 elections. The AICC high command is meticulously crafting a list of star campaigners, intending to involve senior leaders from Telangana in the responsibility of canvassing in selected Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies.
Reliable sources suggest that the star campaigners from Telangana will include ministers and other influential figures from border districts like Nalgonda, Khammam, and Mahabubnagar, particularly those with strong connections to leaders in Andhra and Rayalaseema. Discussions within the party indicate plans to deploy these star campaigners in batches to conduct strategic campaigns in the neighbouring state.
A Telangana minister, commenting on the developments, stated, “The initiative is in its initial stages, and numerous coordination meetings need to be conducted to finalize many
aspects.”
Following Congress’s recent victories in Telangana and Karnataka, the All India Congress Committee is determined to regain its foothold in Andhra Pradesh, even though winning seats in the state is seen as a challenging prospect. Sources reveal that, irrespective of the
outcome in Assembly seats, the high command is keen on securing at least a couple of Lok Sabha seats, recognising the significant boost it provides to the party at the national level.
Recalling the successful campaign in Telangana, where Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shiva Kumar played pivotal roles, a senior Congress leader expressed, “Similar plans are underway for campaigning in Andhra
Pradesh.”
Former APCC president and special invitee to the Congress Working Committee, Gidugu Rudra Raju, informed The Pioneer that the high command is in the process of finalising star campaigners from the Telangana Congress, specifically those with influence over the people of AP. He indicated that the list would be announced shortly, after which it would be submitted to the Election Commission, paving the way for an intensified campaign in Andhra Pradesh.
