Is Cong trying to play it safe in AP?

By M H Ahssan

At Least 26 Of The 29 Sitting MPs Likely To Get Re-nomination

Does feel good factor exist at all? The Congress, which had decisive ly defeated the feel good slogan of the NDA government in 2004 election , seems to have fallen into the trap of this feel good factor. For, the party is all set to allow many of the sitting MPs to contest another election on the ground that everything is hunky dory.

The stalemate continued only over accommodating Union minister Daggubati Purandareswari, who firmly set her eyes on Ongole and Guntur. In such case, one of the two sitting MPs-Magunta Srinivasula Reddy and Rayapati Sambasiva Rao could be dropped.

According to indications, the party is likely to re-nominate at least 26 of the 29 sitting MPs from the state.

Party’s screening committee headed by Pranab Mukherjee did not make any attempt to disturb the sitting MPs except for making few adjustments. This goes against the strong speculation that many of the sitting members be either sacked or sent to new places to beat the anti-incumbency factor.

In contrast, the party has decided to re-nominate most of the sitting MPs, which is nothing but feeling good about these MPs. To be frank, MPs are always strong in many aspects-financial, cast and have wide network in Delhi. So, it is not so easy to dislodge them as in the case of legislators, even if the party wants, observed a senior Congress leader. The party is reportedly not in a position to buy trouble in the crucial elections in spite of the fact that majority of the MPs do not enjoy the public support.

According to information reaching here, the changes that are going to be effected here and there are purely out of compulsion. The party screening committee headed by Pranab M u k h e r j e e paid a lot of attention towards the interests of the sitting MPs and gave them a patient hearing, sources said. Curiously, the committee tried to assuage the feelings of some Lok Sabha members who are needed to relocate keeping in view of the party interests.

In the early days, there was much talk about revamping of the candidates particularly with the sittings in order to beat anti-incumbency factor.

The chief minister’s repeated warnings that the tickets would be given only based on their performance and survey reports have also made the sitting MPs nervous.

Rumours started doing rounds that many sitting MPs might find their names in the list of dropouts. Surprising many, the Congress high command has almost decided not to disturb them. Even chief minister’s efforts to dislodge some of the sitting MPs has failed to bear fruit.

“Everyone in the party is aware how YSR had opposed to the candidature of Kotla Jaya Suryaprakash Reddy from Kurnool during the last elections. Suryaprakash got the ticket only after Sonia’s intervention after central election committee naming another leader at the eleventh hour. But, this time even Rajasekhara Reddy could not succeed in his game plan,” confided a senior Congress leader from Guntur.