Is the Congress Party scoring a self-goal in Munugode? Otherwise, why will the Congress Party get busy with Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo yatra almost at the same time when it has to work for the all-important bypoll in Munugode? Most of the key leaders of the party have already focused on the yatra and are holding preparatory meetings.

Already leaders like former ministers Jairam Ramesh, Digvijay Singh and Koppula Raju have camped in Hyderabad to monitor the arrangements for the yatra. On a day when the election schedule was released, TPCC chief Revanth Reddy visited Charminar to inspect the yatra route. Another senior leader and former minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu too is busy with the arrangements for the yatra.

Party incharges for Munugode bypoll Sridhar Babu and Damodar Rajanarsimha are also busy with the yatra. As a result, Palvai Sravanthi, the party’s candidate, is ploughing a lonely furrow. Some party sources say that there is no cooperation whatsoever from Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. Meanwhile, there is also an attempt to put all the blame for the defeat on TPCC chief Revanth Reddy.

The yatra would traverse through Telangana for a period of 13 days and it largely coincides with the peak stage of election campaign for Munugode. With most of the leaders busy with the yatra, the Congress campaign is likely to suffer. Sources say that there would be no change in the yatra itinerary for a mere bypoll.