The first major sign of dissent after the announcement of new TPCC chief came, and quite too strongly, from Bhongir MP and senior leader Komatireddy Venkata Reddy who announced that, now on, he would not step into the party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan.
Coming back from New Delhi after an unsuccessful attempt at the top slot, he described the selection of A. Revanth Reddy as ‘post for cash’ equating with the ‘vote for cash’ scam where Mr. Revanth Reddy is accused of offering money to nominated MLA, Stephenson while seeking his vote for the TDP official MLC nominee Vem Narender Reddy way back in 2015.
The Bhongir MP was also sarcastic, saying the new TPCC was TDP PCC, an extension of Telugu Desam Party (TDP). Mr. Revanth Reddy joined the Congress from the TDP in 2017.
“I wish the new PCC team best of luck and let them gain at least deposit in the coming Huzurabad Assembly bypoll,” he said in a sarcastic tone.
Padayatra
Mr. Venkata Reddy, who spoke to the media at the airport on his return from New Delhi, said he would ensure that the Congress won all the seven seats in the combined Nalgonda district in the next elections by encouraging new leaders and sincere Congress workers. “Loyalty and sincerity doesn’t pay much now,” a visibly upset Parliament member said. He also announced padayatra from Ibrahimpatnam to Bhongir.
Shashidhar quits
Mr. Reddy has been associated with the Congress from his college days, being very active in the National Students Union of India (NSUI). A four-time MLA from Nalgonda constituency, he resigned as a minister in the united Andhra Pradesh in support of a separate Telangana and sat on a hunger strike.
He lost in the 2018 Assembly elections but won in the Lok Sabha elections held a few months later.
Earlier, former Medchal MLA Kichennagari Lakshma Reddy resigned from the party, apparently peeved at the new PCC chief appointment.
Former minister Marri Shashidhar Reddy also resigned as Chairman of the TPCC Election Commission Coordination Committee, saying he wanted to give the new chief the opportunity to appoint a new team.
