Has Congress lost its credibility among people in Andhra Pradesh, which had sent 33 MPs to Lok Sabha in last general elections and helped party retain power with a wafer-thin majority of 156 seats in a 293-strong state assembly? It looks like so if the results of bypolls in Telangana are of any indication.

The party high command which threw its weight behind some leaders belonging to the region and entered the electoral fray indeed suffered humiliating defeats in the bypolls. That the party erosion has just begun and the party may have to face many more hurdles in days to come is now clear with the verdict of the people, especially the Nizamabad Urban voters, who expressed their disbelief to the promises made by none other than the PCC Chief and party candidate D Srinivas.

What does the bypolls results indicate? Does it indicate that the ‘sentiment’ in favor of separate statehood has strengthened? Or the Congress had no credible leader in its ranks?

To me it appears that it is the second factor which led to party humiliating defeats in the bypolls. That’s the people gradually losing faith in Congress leadership! This was when the PCC Chief himself assuring that his party was willing to carve out a separate statehood before 2014 general elections. Why then people didn’t believe him? Thus far, the party had no credible leader in state’s unit is now loud and clear.

At least, now the party high command should realize this fact and redress. The tall claims of ‘paper-tigers’ like V Hanumantha Rao's, Palvai Goverdan Reddys, Keshav Raos, Shanker Raos and Madhu Yaskis, indeed doesn’t enjoy any support among people and nor have guts to win any election on their own, leave alone help party withering electoral storms.

Contrary to this, it was late Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who single handedly helped to bring Congress back to power in 2004. If his 1600 km long Padayatra from Chevella to Srikakulam helped party outwit nine year old Telugu Desam party at hustings, then it was his ‘credible’ five year administration between 2004 and 2009 that helped return to power, though with lesser strength in the assembly. In fact, the late leader admitted the reason behind reduction in its strength. In his first meeting after the polls, he did caution the party colleagues that the 2009 verdict to his party was only with ‘pass’ marks and not of ‘distinction.’ Hence, he wanted the party men to rededicate and work for the betterment of the people.

I wish to remind the people of the state as well readers of my column, besides the Congress leadership residing at 10 Janpath that the late leader cited the reason for party’s disappointing performance was due to not reaching the welfare schemes to needy. He partly blamed the Sarkari babus, especially the district administration, for benefits not reaching the needy. Hence, he said he wanted to personally supervise and as part of that exercise he chose to conduct/organize “Rachchaband” (direct interaction with the people). That he could not cherish that dream with that tragic end on September 2 in a chopper crash, is sad story to even remember!
Not realizing this fact, some so called seniors who are also considered to be political upstarts than self-boasted ‘heavy weights’ It was the ‘towering’ and ‘charismatic personality of late YSR which pushed the separate Telangana and other issues under the carpet. He could convince the people that ‘development’ is the real ‘mantra’ to remove all regional disparities and he successfully did so. Cutting across regional feelings, the people in the state, reaped rich dividends with his several welfare schemes – free power to ryots, Pavala ke vaddi, Indiramma Housing scheme, Old age pensions, Fee reimbursement to Backward Communities, or multi-crore Jalayagnam project, which helped additional lakhs of acres come under cultivation with irrigation facilities.

Though the Opposition ganged up to defeat the Congress in 2009 polls, the people had immense faith in his leadership. Those who benefited with his schemes rejected the Opposition’s game plan to grab power by hook or crook. Thus far even the 2009 polls were fought on “Credibility” factor and the “Mahakutami-led by TDP Chief Nara Chandrababu Naidu fell flat on its face, though with some improved numerical strength in the state assembly.

After the sudden demise of YSR, the main Opposition which tried to regain its confidence among people seems failed, yet again if the bypoll results are taken into consideration. The TDP had been pushed to a poor third position in all the 12 constituencies which gone to bypolls in Telangana region. In many of them it had also lost even ‘deposits.’

Contrary to this, the Congress could put up a brave fight in spite of the absence of a ‘credible’ leader around in the party, due to the past benefits they derived from YSR government. Yet, one has to seriously view the bypolls and realize the fact that the party had to find an ‘acceptable’ face that enjoys credibility among masses.

Whether the party leadership would like to take corrective measures by accepting the ground realities in the state with Kadapa MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy drawing unprecedented crowds during his Odarpu Yatra (consoling those families who died of shock or ended life on hearing the tragic death of former CM YS Rajasekhara Reddy in a chopper crash on September 2) in Srikakulam, East Godavari recently and in Khammam and West Godavari in the past.

Time is ticking for the Congress faster than expected and time has come for the party leadership to act now. Otherwise, the dream of PCC Chief D Srinivas of bringing ‘separate statehood’ for Telangana in a platter may as well remain a dream, but handing over power to the waiting Opposition, may as well become reality even before 2014.