Congress to gear up for agitational programs in Andhra Pradesh: Gidugu Rudra Raju

"On the failures of state government as well as the central government, Congress party is going to gear up for the agitational programs on the field. As per the directions of the All India Congress Committee, we are going to take up all the agitational programs in the state. We have been doing this and we will do it further as well," Gidugu Rudra Raju said speaking to ANI.

This came after a recent meeting of the Congress state leadership in Andhra Pradesh and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi.

"Recently, we had a meeting with the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and MP Rahul Gandhi. They have directed us. So we will take up the directions of the senior leadership," the state Congress chief said.

Gidugu Rudra Raju said that the General Secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh Manickam Tagore will be coming to the state on January 7 and a grand orientation program is planned on January 8 and 9.

"The newly appointed General Secretary in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Manickam Tagore will be visiting Andhra Pradesh on January 7, 8 and 9. On January 8 and 9 we will be having an orientational program for all the party leaders, right from the Mandal unit presidents to upto the PCC delegates, AICC members and all the Vice Presidents, General Secretaries, District Congress Presidents, City Congress presidents, the entire contingent of all the frontal organisational departments," the Andhra Pradesh Congress chief said.

"We want to refresh ourselves and we want to have an introspection on how to go about the assembly elections. We want to have a roadmap for the assembly elections and the parliamentary election," he added.

Speaking on chances of an alliance with Chandrababu Naidu's Telugu Desam Party, Raju said that it is upto Naidu to decide on it and he is not new to an alliance with the Congress.

"It is upto Chandrababu Naidu to take a call on it. He is not new. He met Rahul Gandhi and addressed a press conference along with him. He was in alliance in Telangana in the last assembly elections. It is upto Chandrababu Naidu and not the Congress party," Raju said.

The Andhra Pradesh Congress chief also said that his party aims to fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party and the communal forces and any party is welcome to join them.

"The aim of the Congress party is only to fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party and the communal forces. Whoever wants to come with us on the ideology of the secular forces, can share the platform and work for the secular forces in the state and the center," he said.

Speaking on the buzz that YS Sharmila may join the Congress, "The high command is dealing with that...Rajshekhar Reddy intended to make Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister of India. Anyone who wants to respect the ideology of the Congress party and who respects our president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, is most welcome. She may join the Congress party and on behalf of the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee, we welcome her." (ANI)