Jagan factor hits Congress

The Congress party in the state continues to tie itself up in knots. If one goes by the statements of central and state leaders, the ruling party appears rattled by its declining popularity.

Pallam Raju has already voiced his fears about the state of the Congress quite unequivocally. Without mentioning the YSRCP, he indicated that the ruling party is in for tough times if it doesn't get its act together for the 2014 elections. The former PCC chief, D. Srinivas also chimed in saying that Congressmen need to stand united. He knows all too well where the challenge is likely to come from.
While the current PCC President, Botsa Satyanarayana also echoed similar views, the problem is that there is a massive disconnect between the leadership in Gandhi Bhavan and  the cadre in the districts in all regions. Kiran Kumar Reddy, in spite of his Indiramma Baata and attempts to ape the former Chief Minister, YS Rajasekhara Reddy, has not quite found his feet in governance.
The fact that more ministers from his cabinet are likely to be charge-sheeted has not made his task any easier. If anything, any such development now coming as it would after Dharmana Prasada Rao's charge-sheet would make matters worse for the CM. A large number of his cabinet colleagues are already upset with the way Kiran Kumar Reddy has handled the crisis following the CBI's charge-sheets, while the CM claims he is helpless. No wonder more and more ministers are heading to Delhi to see if they can elude the CBI net.
It is very likely that we might see a change of guard in the light of these developments. The Congress leadership at the Centre finds it very difficult to retrace its steps after having set a legal course in motion. It planned to target YS Jaganmohan Reddy, but where does it find itself? It has to now sit and watch as the CBI, which it originally unleashed against Jagan acts against its own ministers or find some way of slowing things down.
The Congress leadership in Delhi is still not sure as to how to take Jagan on politically.  Privately, Congressmen admit that the biggest challenge they are likely to face in the 2014 elections would be from the YSRCP. They feel that the morale of the Congress party in the state is probably at its lowest ebb, with YSRCP on an unprecedented high. The India Today-Nielsen survey has only held up a mirror to the Congress.The writing on the wall is clear.The Jagan factor has well and truly boomeranged on the Congress and in the weeks and months to come will have a huge impact on its fortunes.