Denied poll tickets, Congress leaders threaten to turn rebels

Hyderabad: Congress leaders in a few constituencies rebelled against the leadership on Saturday after being denied tickets in the second list that the party announced on Friday.

Among them, former CLP leader late P. Janardhan Reddy's son Vishnuvardhan Reddy and Chalamalla Krishna Reddy who aspired for tickets from Jubilee Hills and Munugode respectively said they would contest as rebels. A few leaders in other constituencies announced that they would leave the party.

Supporters of Vishnuvardhan Reddy staged a protest and pelted stones at Gandhi Bhavan, the party's headquarters in Nampally, as the Congress gave the ticket to former cricketer Mohd Azharuddin. They also burnt the flexies of TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy and Congress flags. Security personnel locked the main gate of the building and the police had to take the protesters away.

Vaddepally Subhash Reddy, an aspirant from Yellareddy, announced his decision to quit the party. He met BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao and MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha and offered to join the BRS.

Gottimukkala Vengal Rao resigned from the Congress after failing to get the Kukatpally ticket, Senior leaders Mallu Ravi and others rushed to his residence to mollify him.

In Narsapur, ticket aspirants Anil Kumar, Anjaneyulu and Ravinder announced that one of them would contest as a rebel. In Asifabad, supporters of Saraswathi and Rathod Ramesh held a protest rally and also decided to enter the fray as rebels.

In Devarakadra, ticket aspirants Pradeep Kumar and Praveen demanded that the party reconsider the decision to allot the ticket to G. Madhusuhan Reddy.

Vijaykumar Reddy, an NRI, alleged that the party had deceived him. He said Congress leaders had asked him to come to the state to contest the elections in Bhainsa. His supporter's brunt party kanduvas. Supporters of another aspirant, Dr Kiran Kumar, wore black badges.