HYDERABAD: The Telangana Congress MLAs, particularly the young ones, are furious. They are furious with their own leader.
The manner in which their legislature party leader and opposition leader K Jana Reddy forced young leader SA Sampath Kumar to apologise on the floor of the House is making them rethink whether to follow their leader or take their own course of action in the Assembly.
Both the senior and junior MLAs of the Congress were taken aback when Jana Reddy made Sampath Kumar, who was reluctant to apologise, speak in the House and tender an apology for allegedly showing disrespect to national anthem. In fact, when the Alampur MLA tried to make his stand clear, Jana Reddy admonished him and asked him to tender an unconditional apology.
TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy also expressed his displeasure over the behaviour of Jana Reddy and so did other leaders.
“As a senior leader and legislature party leader, Jana Reddy should corner the treasury benches. On the contrary, he made the young MLA to apologise,” an MLA remarked.
TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy and working president Mallu Bhatti Vikaramarka met in the evening to take stock of the situation. The leaders were of the opinion that they could not no more depend on Jana Reddy to lead them as a strong opposition.
It was also decided to give an opportunity to young leaders to take on the government on the House. With TDP leaders suspended for the entire session, sources said several Congress leaders felt the need that the party should play a more active role in exposing the government’s failures.
Incidentally, Jana Reddy’s soft approach to the government came just a day after newly- appointed TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy had torn into the government accusing it of failing on its promises and vowing to take the ruling party head on in the Assembly.
“It is time that the high command take some corrective measure. The Congress can no longer survive with the leadership of these kind of leaders,” another leader said.
Jana Reddy’s soft stand on the ruling TRS has been a point of discussion in the party since the previous Assembly session. Some leaders openly vented their anger over Jana Reddy while some others took up the issue with the party high command.