HYDERABAD/NALGONDA: The Congress, infamous for faction-ridden politics, continues to live by its image with its senior leaders crossing swords with one another in the full glare of media. Despite the presence of All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Telanagna Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) affairs Digvijaya Singh here on Sunday, the bickering continued for the second consecutive day.
Former minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, who was branded a TRS agent for deriding the survey conducted by TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy on the party’s electoral prospects, continued his tirade against Uttam
Venkat Reddy, who is unhappy with the prediction of the survey that the party would not win the Nakrekal Assembly seat from Nalgonda district, the constituency of his close aide and former MLA Chirumarthi Lingaiah, continued to scorn the TPCC chief.
“What the Congress needs now is intense agitations against the TRS government but not surveys to gauge its electoral prospects. If Assembly polls are held now, Nakrekal will be the first seat our party will win hands down but the recent survey conducted by the party leadership (TPCC chief) termed the party’s chances of winning the Nakrekal seat as slim. That’s why I got angry,” he said. Taking potshots at Uttam Kumar Reddy, Komatireddy said the party was now in the hands of those who had vehemently opposed formation of Telangana state.
Denying that he was working for the benefit of the TRS, the former minister said the question of his joining the ruling party did not arise. “I am a person who is fighting against the policies of chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao by calling him Telangana Trump. How can I join the TRS?” he asked. Following the latest slanging match between the Komatireddy’s supporters and some senior leaders such as Mallu Ravi and T Jagga Reddy, other veteran leaders worry that such an open infighting within the party might lower the morale of the party cadre who are gradually taking up agitations against the government.
High command’s failure?
“The high command has failed to unify the warring factions of the party. Komatireddy’s is the latest example. Already, there are differences between TPCC chief and Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader K Jana Reddy. At least, from now on, the AICC leadership should make efforts to put the house in order,” a senior Congress leader said.
Digvijaya Singh, who was in Hyderabad on Sunday ahead of attending the ‘Jana Avedana Sammelanam meeting’ in Nizamabad, said, “I don’t think Komatireddy will join the TRS. These internal squabbles will disappear soon.”