With the sudden resignation of former MLC Kandula Durgesh as President of the East Godavari district Congress Committee, the party seems to be losing its morale in the bifurcated state of Andhra Pradesh. East Godavari is the largest populated district in the state.
After the party met disastrous defeat in 2014 polls, losing deposits in more than 150 constituencies among total 175 constituencies, several senior party leaders started migrating to other parties- TDP, YSRCP and BJP. Senior ministers in the erstwhile Congress ministry like Kanna Lakshminarayana, Botsa Satyanarayana, Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, D Ravindra Reddy, D Manikya Vara Prasad and Gade Venkata Reddy have left the party. Other senior leaders like Devineni Nehru also deserted the party.
Though PCC President N Raghuveera Reddy making his best efforts to keep the party flag alive in the state by taking up one or other issue against TDP and BJP governments both at the centre and in the state, he is said to be failing to inspire the party cadre. AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh’s efforts to stop these desertions making alliance with YSRCP also failing to get any response from other side.
Durgesh, who started his political career as Youth Congress leader is said to be preparing to join YSRCP. His resignation indicating possibility of fresh desertions from the party. Party high command seems to be worried that by the time of 2019 polls it would be difficult for them to ensure a nominal party framework in the state.
Several leaders, who were in key positions during Congress regime are now remained as silent spectators, probably waiting for better opportunities. As of now, only film personality Chiranjeevi is having charishma to mobilise people. But he is hardly seen in Congress programmes, but locking himself in film shootings. At a time, his brother Pawan Kalyan resorting to become active politically by next polls, his silence making Congress leadership nerves.
