Interview: Will fight both BRS & BJP in Telangana, says Congress’ Pawan Khera

Hyderabad: The result of the Karnataka Assembly election was historic and the win has boosted the morale of the Congress party in other states of the country. Telangana is also expected to hold the Assembly elections before the end of 2023. Will the same win be repeated in Telangana?

Pawan Khera, the All-India Congress Committee media and publicity committee chairman, in an interactive session held at Country Club in Hyderabad talked to NewsMeter’s Coreena Suares and Kaniza Garari on the dynamics in Telangana.

There is a lot of infighting which is very obvious in the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee. How is this going to be tackled?

Pawan Khera: I would not like to use the word infighting. There is competition among all the legislators and they are all competing with each other. There is soon going to be a meeting with the legislators and everybody’s point of view will be noted and according to that a strategy will be devised. At the end of the day, we are all working for the Congress Party and will together fight for it.

In Karnataka, the appeal of the Congress was against the communal forces. What will it be in Telangana?

Pawan Khera: We are very clear in our approach. We are going to fight every state election in the country based on the local issues faced by the people. Similarly, in Telangana, every districts’ issues will be taken into account and based on the issues of the people of that particular area, strategies will be devised.

Will there be any alliance with any regional party as it is Maharashtra?

Pawan Khera: We are still chalking out the strategy based on the different feedback from the people. It will be revealed at the right time.

What about those Congress leaders who have joined BRS? If they come back, will they be taken back into the party?

Pawan Khera: This decision will be based on the local leadership of Telangana. If the Telangana leaders find that those who were earlier with us have gone away and want to come back, it will be their decision. It is the local leadership who will decide on their comeback.

In Telangana, Congress party is not seen as a strong contender. What is going to be done about that?

Pawan Khera: Congress party leaders and workers are full of energy to take on BRS. There is no confusion in that. We are working at the ground level and there is definitely going to be a major change in the next two months. Our regional leadership and all the aspiring legislators are working hard. We will fight against both BRS and BJP in Telangana.

There is a demand for a larger role of Congress Leader Priyanka Gandhi after her rally here in Telangana. What will be her role?

Pawan Khera: There are many states across the country who want Priyanka Gandhi to campaign and the requests are before the Congress Party President Mallikarjun Kharge. He will decide what role she will play.

In Karnataka Elections, the civil society has played a major role? What are the plans for Telangana?

Pawan Khera: Civil society feedback is being taken by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. During his Bharat Jodo Yatra he had met the civil society leaders and interacted with them in Telangana also. He is coordinating with the different leaders of civil society and based on their feedback the plans for Telangana will be chalked out.