Poll guarantees, anti-incumbency favour Congress in Telangana polls; infighting an issue

Hyderabad: The Congress party in Telangana has been fighting tooth and nail to come back to power in the state after losing it to the BRS (then TRS) in 2014, despite its government at the Centre at the time heeding the demand for a separate Telangana State.

The Congress was demoralised after losing power in 2014, and as a result, several prominent leaders left the party, leaving it in the lurch. However, after present TPCC president and MP A Revanth Reddy took over the reins of the state unit in July 2021, hopes soared among the party cadre despite disastrous performances in bypolls and Hyderabad civic body elections over the last three years.

The Congress' win in the Karnataka assembly polls and its top leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra have certainly rejuvenated the spirits of the party cadre and leadership to face the November 30 election with renewed enthusiasm.

Here's a look at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis) of the Congress party.

STRENGTHS

• Congress is the party that granted statehood to Telangana, as it was in power at the Centre at the time.
• General sympathy as the party lost two consecutive elections (2014 and 2018 despite granting separate statehood to Telangana).
• Anti-incumbency faced by the BRS party which has ruled since Telangana achieved statehood, for two consecutive terms.
• Attractive poll promises on the lines of 'guarantees' being fulfilled in neighbouring Karnataka.
• Strong cadre at the grassroots level.
• Regarded as a secular party.
• The party has already begun the process of selecting candidates, which may give them an edge in the polls.
• Padayatra (foot march) by senior leaders reconnected the party with the grassroots.

WEAKNESSES

• Unceasing dissidence within the party and open criticism of leaders.
• Lags behind the BRS and BJP in political shrewdness.
• Several important leaders have left the party over a period.

OPPORTUNITIES

• Ten year anti-incumbency against ruling BRS.
• It should be able to devise an effective campaign to highlight Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha's alleged involvement in the Delhi excise Police scam case.
• Flaws of Dharani, a government land management portal, can be highlighted by the Congress in its poll campaigns.
• Some of the guarantees announced by the party, such as free travel for women in RTC buses are worthwhile, and will prove to be advantageous.

THREATS

• Silent campaign by former IPS officer R S Praveen Kumar of the BSP, who can potentially dent Congress’s traditional vote bank (SC and ST).AIMIM may potentially keep Muslim voters away from Congress.