HYDERABAD: Congress’ decision to open its doors for opposition leaders and MLAs has triggered an internal turmoil.
Though some more new entrants would help the party in strengthening itself in certain constituencies, the prospect has resulted in stiff resistance from seniors as well as the early defectors wary of competition in their turf.
Consequently, quite a few BRS leaders have been left waiting at the door even almost a month after the open invitation from CM A Revanth Reddy.
There had been a flurry of resignations from the BRS soon after it was defeated in the assembly polls in Nov and most of them – local leaders, MLAs and ex-MLAs – have made a beeline to the ruling Congress. While the Congress absorbed a few, in some assembly segments the local leaders have been vocal about their opposition, especially regarding leaders from the BRS.
For instance, former minister A Indrakaran Reddy from Nirmal assembly segment was supposed to join the Congress last month along with Rajya Sabha MP K Keshava Rao and others.
While Keshava Rao and his mayor daughter Gadwal Vijayalakshmi made it, Indrakaran Reddy’s entry was stalled after Congress leaders from Nirmal such as K Srihari Rao and Khanapur MLA Vedma Bhojju opposed his induction and even informed Adilabad in-charge minister Seethakka. In fact, Srihari Rao had quit the BRS last year and joined Congress over his differences with Indrakaran Reddy.
Similarly, another former BRS minister from Greater Hyderabad had tried to join the Congress last month and there were rumours that he had reached out to the party top leadership. But Telangana senior Congress leaders reportedly raised an objection. Then the BRS leader himself withdrew his plan on switching over to Congress.
In some case, the Congress took in BRS leaders and offered them LS ticket for want of a strong candidate and to strengthen the party in Greater Hyderabad and other constituencies.
A case in point is of BRS’ Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari who joined along with his daughter Kadiyam Kavya and the latter was given the Warangal LS ticket. However, Station Ghanpur party in-charge Singapuram Indira’s follo wers have been openly opposing Kavya. There was even a scuffle in a village in the constituency between the two groups at a meeting a couple of days ago.
While in Chevella LS constituency, Congress’ local leaders do not see eye to eye with sitting BRS MP Ranjit Reddy who has now been given the party ticket. The entry of former BRS minister Patnam Mahender Reddy’s wife Sunitha, who was also eyeing the Chevella seat, has added to the Congress’ problems.
Sources said the Congress now finds itself in somewhat similar situation faced by the BRS after it had welcomed Congress MLAs after 2018 poll win.
Though some more new entrants would help the party in strengthening itself in certain constituencies, the prospect has resulted in stiff resistance from seniors as well as the early defectors wary of competition in their turf.
Consequently, quite a few BRS leaders have been left waiting at the door even almost a month after the open invitation from CM A Revanth Reddy.
There had been a flurry of resignations from the BRS soon after it was defeated in the assembly polls in Nov and most of them – local leaders, MLAs and ex-MLAs – have made a beeline to the ruling Congress. While the Congress absorbed a few, in some assembly segments the local leaders have been vocal about their opposition, especially regarding leaders from the BRS.
For instance, former minister A Indrakaran Reddy from Nirmal assembly segment was supposed to join the Congress last month along with Rajya Sabha MP K Keshava Rao and others.
While Keshava Rao and his mayor daughter Gadwal Vijayalakshmi made it, Indrakaran Reddy’s entry was stalled after Congress leaders from Nirmal such as K Srihari Rao and Khanapur MLA Vedma Bhojju opposed his induction and even informed Adilabad in-charge minister Seethakka. In fact, Srihari Rao had quit the BRS last year and joined Congress over his differences with Indrakaran Reddy.
Similarly, another former BRS minister from Greater Hyderabad had tried to join the Congress last month and there were rumours that he had reached out to the party top leadership. But Telangana senior Congress leaders reportedly raised an objection. Then the BRS leader himself withdrew his plan on switching over to Congress.
In some case, the Congress took in BRS leaders and offered them LS ticket for want of a strong candidate and to strengthen the party in Greater Hyderabad and other constituencies.
A case in point is of BRS’ Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari who joined along with his daughter Kadiyam Kavya and the latter was given the Warangal LS ticket. However, Station Ghanpur party in-charge Singapuram Indira’s follo wers have been openly opposing Kavya. There was even a scuffle in a village in the constituency between the two groups at a meeting a couple of days ago.
While in Chevella LS constituency, Congress’ local leaders do not see eye to eye with sitting BRS MP Ranjit Reddy who has now been given the party ticket. The entry of former BRS minister Patnam Mahender Reddy’s wife Sunitha, who was also eyeing the Chevella seat, has added to the Congress’ problems.
Sources said the Congress now finds itself in somewhat similar situation faced by the BRS after it had welcomed Congress MLAs after 2018 poll win.
