Hyderabad: The post of president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) is being hotly contested by leaders from the Reddy and other communities, particularly the Backward Classes (BC). The party’s central leadership is likely to appoint a new TPCC chief soon, most probably after the municipal elections, but there is much jostling for the post.
N. Uttam Kumar Reddy showed no interest in continuing as TPCC president once his term had expired. Congress leaders are thus polarised into the two groups.
Congress MPs Komati-reddy Venkat Reddy and A. Revanth Reddy are front-runners for the post. But BC community leaders are demanding that they be given a chance this time.
The Reddy community plays a dominate role in the Telangana Congress. The BC groups argue that during the recent Telangana assembly elections, the TPCC president (Uttam Kumar Reddy) and Congress Legislature Party leader (K. Jana Reddy) were both of the Reddy community and they failed to get the party into power. There is a large BC population in Telangana and if a BC leader is given a chance, the community will swing behind the Congress.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary and former MP V. Hanumantha Rao has openly asked the central leadership to give the TPCC post to his BC community. Mr Rao is also aspiring for the TPCC post on the grounds that the post should go to a person who has always been with the Congress. He and other senior leaders are opposing Mr Revanth Reddy becoming TPCC president.
Some Congress leaders are supporting MLC T. Jeevan Reddy for the TPCC president’s post. There is speculation in the party that if this internal fight intensifies, the party leaders in Delhi may prefer former minister and MLA D. Sridhar Babu for the post as he is non-controversial.
There is uncertainty about when the Municipal elections will be held as several petitions are pending in court regarding municipalities and the courts must decide before the state government can schedule Municipal elections. If the Municipal elections are delayed, a new TPCC president may be appointed soon by the party’s central leadership, said a senior Congress leader.
