The Gandhi Bhavan was witness to the emotional outburst of several Congress leaders, who wept over being denied party ticket for the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections, while the followers of some resorted to burning effigies of State Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy and party flags.
Followers of P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy, who was seeking the Jubilee Hills ticket, burnt the party flags and pelted stones at the flexis of the Congress leaders at Gandhi Bhavan protesting the denial of ticket to him. Mr. Reddy, who is the son of former Congress heavyweight P. Janardhan Reddy, lost twice on the party ticket. Congress has decided to field former Indian cricket captain Mohd. Azharuddin.
Mr.Reddy’s sister Vijaya Reddy in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) was given the ticket from Khairatabad that was once represented by her father. She was elected as Khairatabad corporator on BRS ticket but joined Congress last year. Party leaders said only one member of Mr.Janardhan Reddy’s family could be given a ticket and it decided to choose Ms.Vijaya Reddy.
Mr.Vishnuvardhan Reddy announced that he will be in the fray come what may. “My name has to be there on the ballot paper and on the voting machine,” he told his followers. Whether he would be consoled by the party leadership or allowed to contest as an independent candidate is to be seen.
Subash Reddy weeps
Some leaders couldn’t control their emotions and wept even as their followers tried to console them. Yellareddy constituency Congress in-charge Vaddepalli Subhash Reddy wept inconsolably after being denied an Assembly ticket. His followers were seen consoling him and giving him support in the videos that went viral on social media.
Janga Raghava Reddy, who was expecting the Warangal West ticket, also became emotional. He faced stiff competition from Nayini Rajender Reddy, who sacrificed his seat in 2018 elections and has now been rewarded with a ticket for his loyalty and patience. Mr.Raghava Reddy is expected to contest as an independent candidate.
KTR to meet Nagam
Municipal Administration Minister K.T.Rama Rao is likely to call on former Minister Nagam Janardhan Reddy, who is unhappy over the denial of a ticket to him from Nagarkurnool constituency. A strong critic of Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao, Mr. Reddy is agitated that a ticket was denied to him citing survey reports.
He said he is willing to meet any leader who will call on him, when asked about rumours of Mr.Rama Rao’s anticipated visit to his residence to invite him to join the BRS. He said BRS MLC Kuchukulla Damodar Reddy, who had destroyed Congress in Nagarkurnool, had also managed to get a ticket for his son with the help of fake survey reports.
Challamalla angry
Munugode ticket aspirant Chalamalla Krishna Reddy held a meeting with his supporters after the ticket was given to Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, who joined the Congress a couple of days ago from the BJP.
He announced that he would be in the fray as his supporters felt that injustice had been done to him. He also criticised the Komatireddy brothers — Venkata Reddy and Rajgopal Reddy — and said they can’t treat Munugode as their fiefdom.
