Like never before, the Congress high command gave lot of importance to AP CM Chandrababu Naidu in Telangana poll campaign. Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Congress top leaders came forward to welcome Naidu during his Delhi visits to attack the Modi government. Following this, there was an atmosphere favourable for CBN likely to play a bigger role in bringing together an anti-BJP front at the national level.
But after the disaster of Congress-TDP alliance in Telangana, there were doubts over whether the Congress leaders would continue same importance to Naidu now. The political circles especially the Congress leaders were speculating a lot on this aspect. Considering the ground reality, analysts say it is the Congress which badly require the support of Naidu to play a catalytic role in mobilising anti-BJP parties.
There is a feeling the Congress high command and top leaders are mindful of the role that Naidu has to play in national politics and they will not ignore this with general elections round the corner. Moreover, the Congress is eager to take along with it all those parties which are ready to work with it to oust the Modi rule.
Against this backdrop, the failure of Prajakutami is being seen as a temporary setback. For the Congress, TDP and other parties, the more important task is to teach a strong lesson to the BJP.