Manikrao Thakre
| Photo Credit:
In an expected development, the Congress high command has appointed senior Congress leader from Maharashtra Manikrao Thakre as the new AICC incharge for Telangana replacing Mr. Manickam Tagore, who has been made the incharge for Goa.
Mr. Thakre is a four-time MLA, a two-time MLC and also the former president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. He also served as a Minister in the Sushil Kumar Shinde Cabinet. He will take charge immediately.
Mr. Thakre comes to Telangana to set things right in the Congress party that is divided by the leaders though united by the cadre. The change of guard was expected after senior leader Digvijaya Singh was here on a two-day visit to talk to senior leaders, who raised a banner of revolt against the working style of TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy.
Mr. Digvijaya Singh seems to have sent his report suggesting a change to set the house in order with many senior leaders lodging complaints that Mr. Tagore was supporting Mr. Revanth Reddy and was not heeding heir suggestions for the revival of the party.
Mr. Tagore had earlier indicated that he wanted to be relieved of Telangana responsibilities when a section did not have confidence in him. He met Mr. Rahul Gandhi on December 19 and AICC president Mr. Mallikarjun Kharge on December 20 and during the separate meetings he had reportedly conveyed his feelings orally and had not given anything in writing.
During his meeting with Mr. Kharge, Mr. Tagore is said to have explained that when leaders didn’t have faith in him it was not proper for him to continue in the position. Despite his best efforts, there were some crucial issues that were not settled due to different political thinking among some leaders.
Sources said he had explained to the party high command that the division among leaders was mostly on the fundamental issue of having a poll alliance with the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS). There is a section of leaders who prefer a poll alliance with the BRS and another section that is totally opposed to it.
While conveying his request to relieve him Mr. Tagore apparently said he had tried his best to instil Congress culture in Mr. Revanth Reddy, who had come from a regional party set up, supporting him. Mr. Reddy was an asset to the Congress and its revival in Telangana and he should be nurtured carefully to lead the party. But this was misunderstood as total support, he said.