Telangana’s Power Games: AICC Drama, BJP’s BC Strategy, and the ‘0 Bill’ Summer Shock

The AICC Shake-Up: Why Telangana Didn’t Get Bhupesh Baghel, and Who is Meenakshi Natarajan?

The Telangana Congress has a new AICC in charge: Meenakshi Natarajan. She takes over from Deepa Das Munshi but wasn’t the first choice. The Congress high command initially considered former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel for the role.

The Congress leadership discussed Baghel’s potential involvement several times. His name was included on the list, and his team knew this. Last year, some of his close associates visited Hyderabad secretly. They aimed to understand the political situation in the state, learn about the Telangana Congress’s structure, and analyse Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s leadership style. They put together detailed reports on party dynamics, internal conflicts, and the government’s performance.

Last week, Delhi chose a new direction. The leaders decided to give Bhupesh Baghel more power at the national level. Instead of focusing on Telangana, he became the party’s general secretary and was put in charge of Punjab, a state facing political challenges and preparing for elections in 2027.

With Baghel out, attention turned to Meenakshi Natarajan, known for her close ties to Rahul Gandhi. Natarajan is a former MP from Mandsaur in Madhya Pradesh who was once viewed as one of Rahul’s closest aides, often considered part of his “inner circle.” Her political career grew when she led the Congress’s youth and student wings, where she played a key role in developing young leaders.

Meenakshi’s appointment has raised questions within the Telangana Congress. Unlike her predecessors, she lacks extensive experience in state affairs and strong connections there. Her main challenges will be to gain control, manage internal politics, and maintain Congress’s influence in the state.

At the same time, there are discussions about whether Baghel’s departure from Telangana was a setback or a smart move. Can Meenakshi handle the complicated politics of the Telangana Congress? The next few months will show whether this change was just a routine adjustment or has a deeper meaning.

The BC Reservation Chess Game: Congress’s Master Plan vs BJP’s Countermove

In Telangana, the Congress party and the BJP focus on one key issue—reservations for Backward Classes (BC). The demand for 42% reservation has become an important political topic, and each party is trying to gain support.

The Congress party has a clear plan. They aim to complete the second phase of the caste census by February 28. After that, they will introduce the BC Reservation Bill in the budget session before March 15. This is just the beginning. The next step involves Rahul Gandhi taking a leading role.

According to sources in Congress, once the bill passes in Telangana, Rahul Gandhi and 100 Congress MPs, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, will reach out to other party leaders nationwide. Their goal is to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and ask for the inclusion of reservation in the 9th Schedule, similar to what Tamil Nadu did years ago. Congress believes this will help them gain support from the Backward Classes (BC) in Telangana and turn the issue into a national campaign.

However, the BJP has its plan. The party is waiting to see Congress’s actions before responding. Senior BJP leaders claim that Congress is just performing “political drama” and misleading BC communities with false promises. They say any changes to BC reservations require constitutional amendments, and Congress is trying to fool voters into thinking it can make these changes quickly.

The BJP is preparing for a strong campaign, showing how the Modi government has given BC leaders important roles in ministerial positions and welfare programs. Behind the scenes, BJP strategists plan to question the Congress’s honesty by asking why they didn’t implement BC reservations when they were in power for so long.

One main argument from the BJP is that even if Congress passes the bill in Telangana, the central government must approve it to include it in the 9th Schedule. BJP leaders suggest they will take credit nationally, stating, “If BCs get 42% reservation, it will be because of Modi, not Revanth Reddy.”

The battle lines are clear. Congress wants to showcase the BC reservation issue as its main achievement in Telangana, while the BJP is ready to take the credit at the right time. The big question is whether BC voters will trust Congress’s promises or if the BJP’s strategy will make a difference.

Gruha Jyothi: The ₹0 Bill Gamble & Congress’s Summer Dilemma

As summer approaches in Telangana, the Congress government worries about its popular Gruha Jyothi scheme. While free electricity sounds great, in a hot climate where people rely on air conditioning, it could quickly become a problem.

Last month, 50,16,798 people were registered as beneficiaries of the scheme, and 48,89,890 households received a ₹0 electricity bill. This seemed like a smart political move until the power department saw some surprising results. When electricity is free, people use more of it. A household that used to consume 70–80 units per month now uses the maximum 200 units allowed. Why not use every bit of free electricity? Fans that were turned off now run constantly, televisions are on in every room, and washing machines are used nonstop as if the whole neighbourhood’s laundry depends on it.

Summer changes everything. As temperatures rise, so does the amount of electricity we use. What was a comfortable 150 units in December can quickly reach over 250 units by April. Here’s the catch: the’ zero bill’ benefit disappears when a household uses more than 200 units. There are no partial discounts or subsidies. The entire bill must be paid in full. For those expecting free electricity, a bill of ₹1,500 to ₹2,000 during peak summer will be more shocking than a power cut during an IPL match.

The Congress government worries about power use, and the energy department is discussing ways to manage the situation. Should they change the limit on usage? Offer some help for usage beyond 200 units. Run campaigns to remind people not to use too much power. The real concern is that this plan was a key promise during the election, so any changes could upset voters.

For now, the government is waiting to see what happens. They hope people will not exceed the power limits, but many have other plans. In the next few months, we will determine if Gruha Jyothi becomes a success or a problem.