Is Congress Become A 'Sinking Ship' In Andhra Pradesh?

By Ramesh Reddy | Hyderabad

Throwing a direct challenge at the Congress high command, Andhra Pradesh assembly  rejected the AP Reorganization Bill 2013. Andhra Pradesh chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy moved a resolution opposing the division of the state and it was declared as passed amid pandemonium.

The bill will now be sent back to President Pranab Mukherjee after which it is slated to be tabled in Parliament in the first fortnight of February.

This is seen as a major embarrassment for the Congress which has been touting AP bifurcation draft bill as major achievement. Now, Congress' chief minister has put a direct challenge to the high command, and this has come at a time when the allies are already arm-twisting the Congress party and setting tough demands for seat-sharing before the Lok Sabha elections.
This goes to highlight the fact that Congress is in deep trouble and its friends have realised that Congress association could harm their prospects in the coming Lok Sabha elections which are round the corner. So, they are open to other options and new alliances.

On Wednesday, NCP leader Praful Patel came in support of Modi, and refuted Rahul Gandhi's charges against Gujarat Chief Minister. 

"We are in an era when we believe that the judicial system is the final recourse to getting justice on any issue or to bring finality to any controversy and if the judicial system has given any pronouncement, we ought to respect it. We will not question it further," said Praful Patel, reacting to Rahul Gandhi's TV interview blaming Narendra Modi for the 2002 Gujarat riots.

There are reports that Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of jammu and Kashmir, is not happy with his alliance with Congress party and rumours are doing the rounds that resignation is on the cards.

Rahul Gandhi's statement on Sikh riots of 1984 has created massive image and credibility problem for the party as there have been wide spread protests from the victims.

Now, a no-confidence motion over Telangana seems to be staring at the UPA government on the February 5.

According to media reports, Congress MPs from Seemandhra region have decided to move the motion during the winter session. This is being seen as a major setback for the Congress when it is fighting hard to convince voters that it is a strong contender for the Lok Sabha Polls 2014.