Former minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Monday said that the Congress party was in a very bad shape in Andhra Pradesh, and immediate steps need to be taken for its revival.
Talking to reporters in the Assembly premises, Dr Shankar Rao said that the Congress party's vote bank, which has slipped from an average of 33% to 19% in last by-elections, has gone down further. Therefore, he said, immediate measures should be taken to restore the confidence of people in the ruling party.
Dr Shankar Rao also welcomed the elevation of Rahul Gandhi as party's Vice-President. He said that as many as nine state were going for polls this year while the general elections would be held in 2014. Therefore, by giving a 33% representation each to women and youth, the Congress party would be able to retain power under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi.
The former minister also slammed the BJP for projecting Gujarat's Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its Prime Ministerial candidate. He said that Modi has been surviving due to communal politics and his dominance would be over soon.
Speaking about Telangana, Dr Shankar Rao said that hundreds of youth have committed suicide for the cause of statehood and the Centre should not delay the decision further. Dismissing the demand for a referendum in Hyderabad over the Telangana, he hoped that Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi would take a decision in favour of Telangana issue. (INN)