Hyderabad: A series of one-on-one meetings held recently by AICC Telangana in charge Meenakshi Natarajan with MPs, MLAs, MLCs and district Congress committee (DCC) presidents was part of a comprehensive mid-term review ordered by the party high command to assess the performance of the Congress govt and the organisation in the state.While the AICC regularly relies on private surveys to gauge public sentiment, many elected representatives and party leaders were caught off guard by the nature of the questions posed by Natarajan during the interactions. Several realised only later that the exercise was not a routine organisational review, but a structured feedback gathering exercise intended for submission to the party leadership.
Meenakshi Natarajan’s meet with Congress leaders in Telangana
According to sources, some MLAs used the opportunity to flag issues affecting governance, particularly the slowdown of development works in their constituencies.
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They reportedly told Natarajan that several projects had come to a halt as contractors had stopped works over delays in bill payments. The legislators expressed concern that continued delays in fund releases could eventually affect the image of the Congress govt.The feedback exercise involved both verbal interactions and printed questionnaires. MLAs, MLCs and DCC presidents were asked to suggest measures that would help the Congress remain in power for the next 15 years and return to office in the next elections.They were also asked about programmes conducted in their constituencies and districts beyond those organised by the party, their social media engagement, and their assessment of the party’s overall position in the state.A senior AICC leader said the high command was determined not to lose Telangana and was keen to ensure the Congress retained power. As part of the exercise, Natarajan was also trying to assess public sentiment and ascertain whether any anti-incumbency or negative perception was building against the govt.However, sources said that instead of focusing solely on public mood, a majority of MPs, MLAs, MLCs and DCC presidents used the meetings to air their grievances and offer suggestions. Among the demands reportedly raised were the allocation of party posts, cabinet berths and corporation chairperson positions to long-time Congress loyalists rather than leaders who had recently joined the party from other political formations.
