Andhra Pradesh Congress to contest all local body seats, sets up alliance panel

The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee will contest every seat in the upcoming urban and rural local body elections, its Political Affairs Committee (PAC) decided at its first meeting held at Andhra Ratna Bhavan in Vijayawada on Sunday.

The meeting was chaired by P.V. Mohan, the AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh affairs and an MLC. The committee reviewed the party's political and organisational position in the State and took stock of poll preparations, with the State Election Commission moving ahead with arrangements for the local body exercise.

As part of its election strategy, the PAC decided to set up a three-member panel to hold talks and firm up possible alliances with INDIA bloc partners, like-minded parties and organisations opposed to the BJP and the NDA.

On the caste census, the party said it would step up its demand for a separate column and a distinct code for Other Backward Classes in the prescribed format for the ongoing enumeration. Party leaders argued that a socio-economic survey of OBCs should form part of the exercise. They also decided to press the BJP to honour the assurance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Parliament on the matter and to organise public programmes to highlight the party's stand.

The committee discussed corruption allegations involving the TDP and YSRCP governments, with particular reference to mines, liquor, sand, land and PDS rice. It also reviewed issues tied to the implementation of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, including Special Category Status, along with the drought situation and the difficulties faced by farmers.

The PAC resolved to meet once every three months and decided to draw up a panel of senior Congress leaders who will take turns to conduct daily briefings at the PCC office.

Among those present were CWC member N. Raghuveera Reddy, former Minister and CWC member Koppula Raju, former Union Ministers J.D. Seelam and Pallam Raju, former MLA and APCC working president Mastan Vali, APCC vice-president Kolanukonda Shivaji, former Minister Killi Krupa Rani and AICC observer Palak Varma.