HYDERABAD: Telangana Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy, a former BRS MP, on Saturday said the party in Nalgonda district was riven with differences. His comments, during an interview with a television channel, come at a time when the party is believed to be facing a serious challenge in Nalgonda and Bhongir Lok Sabha seats for the May 13 elections.
Sukhender Reddy also said that BRS president and former chief minister K. Chandrashekar Rao stayed away from meeting party MLAs for six months prior to the last Assembly elections. Sukhender Reddy, dismissing as rumours reports about him willing to join the Congress, said if he were to do so he would directly meet with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
He said a BRS leader from the district had gone on TV to say that Sukhender Reddy should be grateful for his post. “I did not get the post because someone took pity on me after I lost in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. That loss was due to divisions in the party but KCR was not willing to hear anything on that. I was then offered an MLC seat. I said I would accept if I am made a minister but since that did not happen I was offered the Council Chairman post. I will be in this position till November 2027,” he said.
BRS Suryapet MLA G. Jagadish Reddy, answering questions from mediapersons on Sukhender Reddy’s comments, said he was a senior leader with vast political experience and was given the post in view of his seniority. “We will reach out to him and try to speak with him. It is possible that KCR could not meet him as he is busy with the Lok Sabha elections. We take his suggestions on the need to rebuild the party seriously.”
The BRS has fielded Kancharla Krishna Reddy from Nalgonda, and Kyama Mallesh from Bhongir. The primary contest in these constituencies is expected to between BJP candidate Sanampudi Saidi Reddy, a former BRS MLA, and Kunduru Raghuveer Reddy of the Congress, son of senior leader K. Jana Reddy.
In Bhongir, the BRS faces BJP’s former MP Dr Boora Narsaiah Goud, and Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy of the Congress.
