An elaborate and comprehensive report is prepared by the Congress Telangana leadership on its failures that led to its defeat despite support from TDP, TJS and CPI allies. The report has blamed abnormal delay in finalising a deal with allies as one of the reasons for confusion in Prajakutami ground level workers. It also felt the finalisation of candidates should have been completed early to avoid group rivalries.

The Congress is doing a total post mortem on its disaster as it could win only 19 seats though it contested 99 seats out of the total 119 in the state. The allies first objected but later agreed for the Congress to contest in majority seats but still there was no favourable result. The Congress high command turned lot of attention on failures in Telangana as the party got better results in three northern states where it tamed the BJP.

The self-analysis has also revealed faults within the Congress strategy as the party has not stuck its policy of fielding strong candidates in all segments. In some constituencies, the high command bowed to pressure from senior leaders and stalwarts who got tickets for their followers. In others, rebels openly defied the party’s decisions and damaged Prakakutami candidates in some segments.

Because of delay in alliance and announcement of candidates, the Congress and allies could not take any advantage in election campaign while rival TRS finished several rounds of electioneering by that time.

G.Ravikiran