Two years later, TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud is betting on the momentum of the Congress
Mahesh Kumar Goud, after completing two years as Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president, says the Congress government’s performance, caste survey and job creation will help counter the challenges of BRS and BJP as he talks about strengthening its organization, expanding welfare provision and maintaining unity as it prepares for future electoral battles in this interview. excerpts:
What is your strategy to maintain public trust, maintain unity and strengthen the Congress as the BRS seeks a comeback and the BJP seeks to expand its footprint?
We do not believe that the BJP has much room to grow in Telangana, given the social fabric and political history of the state. People here traditionally reject communal politics.
As for BRS, its 10-year rule has been thoroughly debunked. There have been allegations of corruption, land issues and governance failures and people have not forgotten what happened during his tenure.
We focus on management and delivering on promises. The welfare and development programs implemented during the last two-and-a-half years will strengthen public confidence in the Congress. In the last council elections, we won more than 63 seats and we believe that we will improve in the future.
What do you consider to be your biggest success in strengthening the party?
When the Congress came to power, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy was the PCC president and I was the working president. Coordination between us played a key role in the party’s return to power.
After taking over as PCC President in September 2024, I focused on strengthening the organization at all levels. One of our major achievements was the caste survey. It fulfilled the long standing demand of our leader Rahul Gandhi and was done in a scientific manner. The findings were presented to the assembly and forwarded to the center where they await.
We won two by-elections and secured strong support in the local body elections, winning 75-80% of the seats. The Telangana PCC is considered to be one of the most active party units in the country today. Through ‘Connect Center’ at Gandhi Bhavan we can communicate with more than 50 lakh party workers at a time across TG.
Your government has been in office for almost three years, how do you rate its performance?
Our priorities were education, healthcare and social care. Schemes like free quality rice, Indiramma housing, new ration cards, increased assistance under Rythu Bharosa and 200 units of free electricity have benefited a large section of the population.
We believe that we have moved faster in implementing social programs and development programs compared to BRS. If around 60,000 government jobs were filled during the 10 years of BRS rule, we secured more than 80,000 government jobs in two years.
Major investment commitments have been obtained through global summits and international outreach programs, which are expected to generate employment opportunities.
What would you say to those who feel the pace of promised change is slow?
Most of our commitments have either been fulfilled or are being fulfilled. We have inherited a debt burden of over ₹ 8 lakhs, which requires significant expenditure on repayments and interest every month.
Despite these financial constraints, we have fulfilled almost 80% of our promises. Several initiatives are underway in the area of urban governance. The Fourth City project is a major long-term initiative aimed at transforming Hyderabad into a globally competitive urban hub.
Do you think the Konda Surekha episode affected the party?
Konda Surekha is a leader who hails from the Backward Classes community and has won several elections. Congress is a democratic party that supports freedom of speech. At the same time, when certain boundaries are crossed, the party will step in, as happened in this case.
The controversy surrounding Section 22A has created anxiety among people. How can the government address these concerns?
The problem dates back almost two decades. The government has not introduced any new restrictions. The current situation is largely based on legal and judicial directives. The Minister of Revenue has already explained the matter in detail at the Diet. I have asked the Chief Minister and the Cabinet colleagues to evolve a mechanism to ensure that the actual land owners and eligible pattadars are not adversely affected. The government is committed to providing justice to those with legitimate claims.
There is a perception that ministers and party leaders often remain silent until the chief minister responds to criticism from the opposition.
To some extent, this impression may be valid. However, the PCC has responded on numerous occasions whenever the opposition has made allegations or spread misinformation. Ministers respond to questions related to their portfolios. As the head of the government, the Chief Minister has overall authority, so he often takes the lead in solving several problems.