Member of Parliament from Nalgonda and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Tuesday said he would quit the party’s chief post after completion of municipal polls in the State on January 25.
The announcement came at a party meeting here, where the senior leader along with his wife and former Kodad legislator N. Padmavati Reddy were addressing cadre on poll preparations.
“Whatever has happened in the bypoll is over. I would like to free myself from State leadership tasks after municipal polls and focus on our development of our area,” he told party persons.
The All India Congress Committee had appointed Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy TPCC chief in March 2015, replacing former minister and AICC member Ponnala Lakshmaiah.
Although there was pointed criticism of Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy for the electoral defeat of the Congress party-led People’s Front to Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the 2018 Assembly elections, State Congress in-charge R.C. Khuntia had refuted speculation over change in leadership.
The criticism got more strident after defeat of his wife Padmavati Reddy in the recent bypoll in Huzurnagar, the three-time home constituency of Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy. He later owned responsibility for the defeat.
Mr. Reddy submitted his resignation as Congress chief in the State to the high command after the by poll defeat. However, the high command did not act on the letter as it was busy with Assembly elections in Maharashtra initially and Jharkhand later.
On Tuesday, the senior leader was seen filling confidence in party supporters and local leadership for municipal polls in Huzurnagar and Nereducherla municipalities.
“I will get down after municipal elections, so that I will be able to give full time to Huzurnagar and Kodad. We will stand by every Congress worker and also protect this place from them (TRS). I will soon build a new house here,” he declared.
The Congress leader charged newly-elected TRS legislator for Huzurnagar Shanampudi Saidi Reddy with involvement in real-estate ventures, earning commission in civic works, mandating a particular tractor brand for gram panchayats and mismanaging the District Mineral Fund.
