Telangana echoes at Congress membership drive

HYDERABAD: The membership enrollment drive of the Indian Youth Congress in Andhra Pradesh was kicked off today with the ongoing separate Telangana agitation having its echo at the events organised in connection with the launch.AICC Secretary and MP Meenakshi Natarajan, in-charge of the Youth Congress, launched the membership drive of Indian Youth Congress (IYC) at a function held at Gandhi Bhavan, the state Congress headquarters, this evening.Highlighting the efforts of AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi to usher in value-based politics, she urged the Youth Congress activists to emulate such values and work for strengthening the organisation.Rahul Gandhi would tour the state to interact with the Youth Congress workers during the membership enrollment and election process, she said.Meanwhile, a group of party workers from Telangana created a scene at a meeting held earlier by the IYC leaders at Gandhi Bhavan, demanding that the membership drive be postponed in view of the prevailing surcharged atmosphere in Telangana region.As the slogan-shouting workers created a din paying no heed to the pleas of IYC leaders, police intervened to bring the situation under control."When the house (Telangana) is burning, how can we remain calm. We are not against IYC membership drive. How can we conduct the membership drive given the prevailing atmosphere in Telangana. This membership should not be held until Telangana is achieved," a Youth Congress functionary told reporters.IYC President Rajeev Sathav said the incident is the internal matter of the party.Speaking at the function organised later in the day, he said the party would take into consideration the views of activists in the membership drive and the organisational election process."We will give importance to your feelings in the organisational process. There is no question of injustice being done to anybody," he added.