Hyderabad: After being trounced at Huzurnagar, the high command is likely to make major changes in the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC). A rejig has been pending for some time.
TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has completed his tenure. After the defeat in the Assembly elections, he had offered to step down. He was asked to continue in view of the Lok Sabha elections and rural elections and, later, the Huzurnagar byelection. TPCC leaders want Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy replaced along with AICC general secretary in charge of the state Congress R.C. Khuntia. Some TPCC leaders have complained against Mr Khuntia to the high command.
The municipal elections will now be held in the first week of November. Some Congress senior leaders feel that Mr Reddy and Mr Khuntia may be replaced only after that.
The Congress will have to ponder over the reasons for the size of the defeat at Huzurnagar. Congress leaders had expected to prevail in a tight fight in its bastion or, in the worst case scenario, lose by a narrow margin. In the event, TRS won by a majority of more than 43,000 votes. The defeat will give cause for the dissident group to re-start its lobbying against Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy.
The result is a setback to Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, as well. He was headed towards the BJP but is now in a dilemma as the party ended up fourth and lost its deposit in Huzurnagar. He may take a decision after appointing the new TPCC president is appointed as his brother and Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy is also in the race for the job.
