While several Congress leaders are complaining to Delhi about the behavior of APCC chief YS Sharmila Reddy and insisting on changing her leadership, the party high command has taken steps in the APCC to further strengthen her. With this, it seems that the stories that the APCC president is going to be changed have been put to rest.
Former Union Minister JD Seelam and former MLA Mastan Valila were appointed as APCC Working President. At the same time, it has appointed a Political Affairs Committee with 25 key party leaders.
The members of the AICC Political Affairs Committee include Manikyam Tagore, PCC Chief Sharmila, Raghuveera Reddy, K Raju, Pallam Raju, Gidugu Rudra Raju, JD Seelam, Mastan Vali, KVP Ramachandra Rao, Chinta Mohan, K. Bapiraju, GV Harsha Kumar, Dr N. Tulasi Reddy, Killi Kriparani and other leaders.
After the defeat of the YSRCP in the 2024 elections, the Congress high-command expected that as APCC chief Sharmila Reddy will take lead to strengthen the party in AP attempting to regain its base to some extent. However, there are complaints that Sharmila is not working at the expected level. Some have complained to Delhi leaders that there is a lack of coordination in the party.
There are criticisms that she is being confining to media conferences. Complaints have been made that those actively working in the party have been sidelined. Moreover, while the Congress is fighting against the NDA at the national level, there is an opinion among the Congress leaders that Sharmila, who is the PCC chief in AP, is giving more priority to settle her political scores with her brother and YSRCP chief YS Jaganmohan Reddy.
With this, the campaign went on that the BC woman leader would be handed over the reins of the APCC. However, with recent appointments the party high-command has given a clear signal that there may not be any change in APCC leadership as of now.
However, it is noteworthy that most of the leaders who are currently in the Congress leadership are those who had taken key positions when the party was in power in the past and later became a stumbling block for the party growth. With this, it is clear that the party leadership is not interested in strengthening the Congress party in AP.
