DKS working silently as T strategist

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who is credited to be the main pillar behind the victory of the Congress party in Karnataka elections, is emerging as main strategist to ensure that the Congress party gets consolidated in Telangana,

Though officially no AICC leader or TPCC leader is willing to confirm or deny, DKS is said to have stated that he had met many T leaders and would be meeting more in future. It is said that he is making an all-out effort to see that the leaders put all their differences on the backburner as happened in Karnataka and work together for the victory of the party.

The fast-paced developments in Congress party indicate that the grand old party has fallen back on Shiva Kumar to re-energise the party in Telangana. It may be recalled that Shiva Kumar was seen on stage along with Rahul Gandhi in 2018 elections in the state and had taken the initiative to see that the dissidence within the state unit was contained to some extent. The Congress high command believes that the ensuing Assembly elections are crucial for the consolidation of the party before 2024 Lok Sabha elections at the national level. DKS is said to be the man behind convincing the two important leaders from Khammam district Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao to join Congress party.

Speculations are also rife that he was in touch with other BJP leaders like Eatala Rajendar and Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy. Neither of them has denied this. It is also said that TPCC president Revanth Reddy had introduced BRS MLC Kuchukulla Damodar Reddy and his son Rajesh to DKS.

Another leader, who is said to have met DKS in Bengaluru is the BRS leader from Tandur, Patnam Mahender Reddy.

DKS also convinced the YSRTP leader Y S Sharmila to join the Congress party. It is being said that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi might visit Idupulapaya on July 8 to participate in the birth anniversary celebrations of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy. Meanwhile, these three leaders are likely to meet Sonia Gandhi in Delhi and it is being said the DKS would be taking them to Sonia Gandhi. How the Congress proposes to utilise her services will have to be seen. Though she has been stating that she would stay in Telangana, political analysts say that she cannot refuse to play an active role in AP in case the high command wants her to do so. But as of now the Congress does not appear to be in a mood to take on YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh. The state leaders are still criticising TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan and not the YSRCP.

The BJP too appears to be inclined more towards YSRCP. This was evident from the way the state president Somu Veeraraju lashed at Naidu a couple of days back on the issue of special category status and alleged that it was Naidu who refused SCS while he was silent on why YSRCP which had promised to get it failed.