Meenakshi Natarajan, AICC incharge for Telangana arrives by train

Hyderabad: After taking over as the All India Congress Committee in charge of Telangana, Meenakshi Natarajan arrived in Hyderabad from Delhi. A Gandhian, she travelled by train from Delhi to Hyderabad. Her visit has enthused Congress workers in the state. Natarajan was received at the Railway station by TPCC leader Mahesh Kumar Goud and four senior leaders of the party.

Leaders from the party are mostly received in a convoy of cars and people. However, in this case, there was no big gathering.

No flexis and banners

Before her arrival, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Mahesh Kumar Goud had given out instructions to all party leaders and members that there must be no flexis and banners to welcome her. “There must be no flexis, banners, bouquets, and other gifts to welcome Meenakshi Natarajan,” Goud said on February 26.

This message had ruffled many feathers. Natarajn's welcome by Mahesh Kumar Goud at the railway station was also simple. There were only a few senior leaders with her and there was no pomp or show at the railway station during her arrival.

Natarajan creates a stir.

Meenakshi Natarajan is a Gandhian by living. Simple and down to earth, she is grounded in her approach and her maneuvering in the political landscape. Since the time she was made Telangana in charge, there have been Zoom meetings over different issues. All senior leaders, including Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, attended the Zoom meetings.

Workers are happy

Congress party workers on the ground who have interacted with Natarajan during the Telangana Assembly elections in 2024 are happy with her appointment. Sources said the workers feel that there is someone who will listen to them.

A Congress party worker said, “The party workers who have worked for the last 10 years to get the Congress party back to power were feeling left out once the government was formed. The high command in Delhi had been receiving a lot of complaints. This appointment is now a clear indication that Congress has listened to the grievances of workers.”

What is the immediate concern for the TG Congress?

The immediate decisions that the Telangana Congress has to take are on the appointment of presidents for various Congress committees. There is also a need to strengthen the organisation at the base level and create confidence in the party workers.

Another senior Congress leader explained, “The achievements and work being done by the Congress government is not reaching the people on the ground. Why? This is because the workers are not motivated. This course correction is the most important task for the party now.”

MLC candidates

There was a lot of pressure from various quarters for the upcoming MLC elections. A large section of the party was not happy after the names were finalized by former in-charge Deepa Das Munshi.

A senior Congress leader said, “With Natarajan at the helm, the leaders are going to be careful. She will ask too many questions to too many people. She will not spare those who are not working for the interests of the party. A lot of people who thought they could get away in Telangana will be jittery. We have to wait and watch.”

Background

Meenkashi Natarajan studied in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. She is a post-graduate in biochemistry. A student leader from NSUI, she was also a Member of Parliament from Mandsaur in MP. She is also the writer of Apne-Apne Kurukshetra, a very popular novel.