The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Vijayawada News : Major changes in Vijayawada City Congress

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Friday, May 27, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Vijayawada

Major changes in Vijayawada City Congress

M. Rajeev

VIJAYAWADA: The city Congress committee is likely to witness some major changes this time as the party leadership appears to be firm on replacing some office-bearers.

With the party leadership making its intentions clear on nominating a candidate hailing from the Backward Classes to the coveted post, the exit of the present team led by Kadiyala Butchi Babu appears to be certain. The re-nomination of Mr. Butchi Babu, who is known for his close affiliation with the Devineni Rajasekhar (Nehru) group, one of the two major groups dominating the city Congress affairs, has been strongly opposed by the anti-Nehru group, comprising loyalists of the former Union Minister, P. Upendra.

A majority of the Congress rank and file, opposed to Mr. Butchi Babu, went ahead by boycotting a meeting convened by the district returning officer, D. Manikya Varaprasad, recently, while those present staged a vociferous protest demanding election to the coveted post.

The election, they contended, would give an opportunity to "genuine" party workers to prove their majority.

And, the protests staged by the supporters of Mr. Butchi Babu -- some threatening to commit suicide, while a couple of others manhandling the mediapersons covering the event -- only reduced the scope of his re-nomination to the post.

The decision to appoint a BC leader comes in the light of the selection of a forward caste candidate as the district Congress committee president and subsequent requests from the party rank and file for giving the BCs their due share. The appointment a BC leader to the city Congress committee post, party insiders say, would also minimize the scope for accentuating the differences between the two dominant castes in the city, a situation that has often put the leadership in an embarrassing position.

Straight contest

The decision has brought down the number of contenders leaving the senior Congress leader, Pyla Sominaidu, and the PCC secretary, Bonda Srinivasa Rao, in the fray. There are of course some other contenders, including senior city Congress leader, Kolanukonda Sivaji. But the contest is likely to be mainly between Mr. Sominaidu and Mr. Srinivasa Rao.

Of the two contenders, Mr. Sominaidu, party sources say, enjoys an edge owing to his image as a non-controversial leader who has supporters in both the Congress factions in the city. Mr. Srinivasa Rao, on the other hand, is reportedly not on good terms with some of the senior party leaders, of late, which may become a hurdle in his selection to the top post in the city.

As the party leadership is yet to announce its choice, a majority of the aspirants are now camping in the State capital to put forward their claims and take the "blessings" of some State level leaders.

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