BRS MLA Sanjay Kumar's Joining Creates a Stir in Congress

Hyderabad: BRS Jagtial MLA M. Sanjay Kumar’s decision to join the Congress has created a stir in the ruling party, with its senior leader and MLC T. Jeevan Reddy, who previously represented Jagtial, getting furious with the party leadership for not consulting him before welcoming his rival.

Speculation was rife that Jeevan Reddy had decided to quit the Congress to join the BJP on Monday. Jeevan Reddy is speculated to have got in touch with the BJP's state and national leadership and expressed his willingness to join the BJP, prompting the Congress leadership to launch a damage-control exercise.

IT minister D. Sridhar Babu rushed to Jeevan Reddy's residence in Jagtial on Monday evening and tried to pacify him. He requested Jeevan Reddy against taking any hasty decision on leaving the party. However, Jeevan Reddy said that he will take a call on his future course of action in consultation with his followers and party workers in the Jagtial constituency.

During his talks with Sridhar Babu, Jeevan Reddy had reportedly expressed anger at the party leadership for not consulting him before admitting an MLA of the rival party from his constituency Jagtial into the Congress.

Jeevan Reddy said he represented the Jagtial constituency five times since the 1980s, and worked for the party with utmost sincerity and commitment for four decades. However, he said he was humiliated by the party leadership in his own constituency, which the party workers were unable to digest and were exerting pressure on him to leave the party in protest.