'AP Congressmen who joined other parties now living like slaves'

Vijayawada: Criticising Congress leaders who had quit the party to join others before the Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls, the APCC on Tuesday alleged that they were now living like "slaves" in those parties.

"Those who benefited and enjoyed the power while the party was ruling in the state, but quit (and joined others) at a critical period, are now living like slaves in those outfits without any freedom and individuality," Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president N Raghuveera Reddy, who had unsuccessfully contested the recent polls, said at a meeting with partymen.

Before the parliamentary and Assembly polls, many Congress leaders had quit the party and joined TDP, YSR Congress or others political outfits. Reddy, who presided over today's review meeting, urged party leaders and workers to work towards bringing back the "past glory" of the party, following its rout in the recent polls.

"We have to create confidence among the people who have been with the party for many decades. We knew that we might lose elections, but contested only for the sake of the party.

Even before the polls, I had informed AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi that the party might not fare well in Andhra Pradesh," he said. "Now we must work towards regaining the past glory of the party," Reddy said.

Former Union Ministers JD Seelam, Pallam Raju, Killi Kruparani, former state ministers Sailajanath and others participated in the meeting and discussed the reasons for the party's poor performance in the polls.