Hyderabad: AICC general secretary KC Venugopal is going to arrive in the city today (Sunday), April 14, to preside at a key party meeting at the Novotel Hotel in the evening, as part of the preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Telangana chief minister and TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy, AICC state in charge Deepa Dasmunsi, ministers and other important leaders will attend the meeting.
He will also meet AICC secretaries, in-charges of Lok Sabha constituencies and party candidates whose names have already been announced.
The Congress has already declared candidates for 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Announcement of candidates for Khammam, Karimnagar and Hyderabad constituencies has been delayed due to various reasons including multiple contenders, especially in Khammam and Karimnagar.
Khammam seat
For Khammam, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka’s wife Nandini is also an aspirant. Since Vikramarka’s brother Mallu Ravi has already been declared party candidate from Nagarkurnool constituency, the leadership is in a dilemma on giving tickets to another member of his family. State minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s brother Prasad Reddy is also an aspirant for the party ticket from Khammam.
There are many other aspirants including Raghurami Reddy and Mandava Venkateshwar Rao for the Khammam seat. There is a similar situation in Karimnagar, where BJP general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar is seeking re-election.
Revanth Reddy, Vikramarka and Deepa Dasmunshi on Saturday held talks about the finalisation of candidates for the three candidates. The state election commission is already reported to have shortlisted the candidates for the seats and a final decision is likely after Sunday’s meeting with Venugopal.
Venugopal is expected to address the meeting regarding the party’s poll strategy, especially on taking the party’s manifesto to every door.
Congress manifesto
The Congress Party released its manifesto for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections on April 5, 2024, titled ‘Nyay Patra’. The manifesto focuses on five ‘pillars of justice’: Yuva Nyay, Naari Nyay, Kisaan Nyay, Shramik Nyay, and Hissedari Nyay, with 25 guarantees under them.
The party promises to conduct a nationwide socio-economic and caste census, pass a constitutional amendment to raise the 50% cap on reservations for SC, ST, and OBC communities, and implement a 10% quota in jobs and educational institutions for EWS for all castes and communities.
The manifesto also includes promises such as passing the ‘Right to Apprenticeship Act’, providing a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Prices (MSP), and immediately restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
The Congress Party aims to abolish the Agnipath Programme and direct the Armed Forces to resume normal recruitment to achieve full sanctioned strength.
The party guarantees a new right to apprenticeship act to provide a one-year apprenticeship to every diploma holder or graduate below the age of 25 and launches an urban employment programme guaranteeing work for the urban poor in the reconstruction, and renewal of urban infrastructure.
The manifesto also emphasizes the importance of universal healthcare, with the Rajasthan model of cashless insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh being adopted.
The party promises to fill nearly 30 lakh vacancies in sanctioned posts at various levels in the central government.
(With excerpts from IANS)
