Minorities upset with Congress

Hyderabad: Several Seemandhra and Telangana ministers and MLAs complained to PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana, and AICC secretaries and in charges of state party affairs Tirunavakkarasu and Kuntia to take action against those behind the nomination of Chaitanya Raju in Rajya Sabha elections as an independent candidate.

After a long time, Congress ministers and MLAs, both from Telangana and Seemandhra met on Tuesday in the Assembly lobbies.

The SC, ST and BC MLAs from the Congress belonging to both regions expressed displeasure over the high command’s selection of candidates for Rajya Sabha and for not giving a chance to their communities.

They said MPs Nandi Yellaiah from SC and Ratna Bai from ST are retiring and the high command did not give a chance to those communities.

Ministers Kondru Murali, Dokka Manikya Varaprasad, Prasad Kumar, Danam Nagendar, P. Balaraju, Pitani Satyanarayana and several SC, ST MLAs attended the meeting.

AICC secretary Kuntia told them, “I also expected a Rajya Sabha ticket, but I did not get one, but now I have come here as a party observer in Rajya Sabha elections, We have to understand in what circumstances the high command has taken such a decision”.

He promised to communicate their feelings to the high command and to see to it that it did not happen in future.

Minister Kondru Murali proposed three candidates from SC, ST and BC communities to file their nominations, if the high command did not change the present candidates then they will withdraw their nominations.

But PCC President Botsa opposed the proposal saying if anything went wrong the party would be in trouble. Botsa said that they would meet the AICC secretaries and ask them to convey the feelings to the high command.

Minister Murali said there are some big hands behind Chaitanya Raju’s filing his nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections, and asked the PCC President to find out who they were and take action.

Others also supported Murali in this direction. According to sources, PCC President also commented "Chaitanya Raju very often meets the Chief Minister, what message will give by this, I will ask Congress MLAs those who signed proposing the Chaitanya Raju for Rajya Sabha candidate to with draw".

After the meeting with Botsa, they all went to AICC secretaries Tirunavakkarasu and Kuntia in the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) office and explained their feelings.

AICC Secretary Kutina told them "I also expected a Rajya Sabha ticket, but I did not get one, but now I have come here as a party observer in Rajya Sabha elections, We have to understand in what circumstances the high command has taken such a decision".

He promised to communicate their feelings to the high command and to see to it that it did not happen in future.