BJP leaders in Adilabad at loggerheads over assembly seat

Adilabad: Differences have cropped within BJP leaders who are aspiring for the party ticket from Adilabad assembly constituency in the forthcoming Telangana assembly general elections.

The struggle between three leaders – Adilabad BJP district president Payal Shankar, senior leader Suhasini Reddy, and NRI Kandi Srinivas Reddy – has become quite apparent with the elections fast approaching.

All three leaders are maintaining their own separate offices, trying to be one up over the others. They are also trying to undercut the others even in official party programmes.

The differences came into open during the BJP Rythu Dharna staged in front of the collectorate on December 27.

The publicity vehicle of Kandi Srinivas Reddy, a senior leader, was damaged by supporters of BJP district president Payal Shankar. The NRI has reportedly lodged a complaint with state party leadership against Payal Sharath, son of the BJP district president. He accused Sharath and three others – Alluri Raju, Padmawar Rakesh, and Manoj Pawar of damaging his vehicle at the behest of party district president Payal Shankar.

Srinivas Reddy said ₹2 lakh worth equipment in the publicity vehicle, including sound boxes, have been destroyed in the attack.

Other district leaders too are trying to undermine NRI Srinivas Reddy’s attempts to be in the public glare. He is being ignored at party functions and is not being allowed to speak at various protest programmes. The situation is so bad that he is not even being allowed to come in front rows of protests.

It is learnt that Srinivas Reddy’s supporters have sent a video footage of the damaged publicity vehicle to the state and central leaderships.

Such incidents are taking place when BJP’s top leadership is insisting on unity among party leaders within an area, underlining that party ticket for contesting the assembly election will be given only based on performance following independent surveys conducted by the party.