Amaravati: Trying to bounce back in the 2019 elections after being virtually 'buried' in the wake of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014,Congress has drawn up a five phased action plan to try and revive itself, with senior leader Oommen Chandy being handed the task to do so.
The party's five-phased action plan will be implemented over the next four months. A new "political strategy" is also being worked out to resurrect the party and make it battle fit for 2019.
Chandy, a former chief Minister of Kerala, has been handed the "Herculean task" as AICC general secretary in charge of AP affairs.
"It is a Herculean task to revive and reorganise Congress from the grassroots level to prepare ourselves to face the 2019 general elections," he said during the interaction with top leaders of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee.
Chandy spent three days on his maiden visit to Vijayawada after taking over the new assignment and held deliberations on steps to be taken to strengthen the party in the state.
"Alliance with people" is the new mantra that Chandy has spoken about to his partymen here as the Congress, according to him, is not inclined to align with any other party in Andhra Pradesh.
"We had a very strong solid base for our party in AP, but due to various reasons we have become very weak, to the extent that we don't have even a single MLA in the 175-member assembly," he said and put forth a five-phased action plan to strengthen the organisation.
"There is a strong anti-incumbency in the state now and we need to cash in on that. Only the Congress can be the real alternative to the TDP and accordingly we are planning our strategies to reach out to the people," he added. Chandy, with all his experience, is our guiding force now, a senior office-bearer of the PCC said.
The action plan includes arranging a meeting of party leaders with AICC President Rahul Gandhi, steps to 'activate' district Congress committees after 'thorough introspection" on performance, strengths and limitations,focus on mandal level party committees and formation of polling booth committees.
Identifying 25 leaders who will contest Parliament elections and second rung leaders to fight the Assembly polls was part of the plan, party sources said. The action plan drafted by Chandy will be implemented from June 15 to September 30.
"During this process itself we will finalise the political strategy in consultation with Rahul Gandhi," Chandy said.
"This could be the way forward for the revival and rejuvenation of the party. Picking the right candidates for the Parliamentary elections and strengthening the district units will be the key (to success)," a senior PCC office bearer said.
Comments
0 comment