Hyderabad: The election-related committees set up by the high command sparked off dissidence in the Congress on Thursday, with senior leaders openly attacking the leadership.
Former MP Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, a Legislative Council member, alleged that “brokers who cannot win even a ward” were appointed to the panels. He told a party workers meeting at Nalgonda that TS Congress affairs incharge R.C. Khuntia had become a shani to the party unit.
He asked the leadership to spell out whether or not it needed the Komatireddy brothers. Mr Rajagopal Reddy said he had asked Dr Khuntia why brokers were given place in the committees.
“I am not afraid of anyone, I am not afraid of Khuntia. I will never bow my head in front of any one”.
He said the Congress had lost power due to its wrong decisions even though it had granted Telangana statehood. The Congress would not come to power by holding press conferences at Gandhi Bhavan and speaking to TV channels, Mr Rajagopal Reddy said. It would need to nominate those who work for the people and those who have chances of winning
However, his brother and former legislator Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, who was appointed publicity committee chairman, welcomed the new panels.
Former MP V. Hanumantha Rao met senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and expressed his anger at being denied chairmanship of the campaign committee. Mr Rao told Mr Azad that he had prepared the ‘Indira Ratham’ to campaign across the state in expectation that he would head the campaign panel.
“I had asked for one thing but the high command gave me some other thing. I am a people’s leader, I am always with the people but I have been locked up in a room by being made chairman of the strategy committee,” Mr Rao said.
He said that he had toured the state on the Indira Ratham in 1989 and the Congress had come to power. He told Mr Azad that there were TRS ‘coverts’ (agents) in the Congress who were trying to prevent it from coming to power. MLC Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, angered at not being given any prominent post, told Mr Azad that party loyalists were being ignored and defectors given importance. Former MLA D. Sudhir Reddy refused to join the election committee, saying, “I have worked as a disciplined soldier for the 35 years without any post, I don’t want one now.”
