HYDERABAD: Rebellion continues to trouble the Grand Alliance. Several leaders from Congress and TDP on Friday, who were denied tickets by their respective parties, are evaluating their options to decide on a future course of action. Some leaders continue to lash out against their parties, while others have decided to form a ‘rebel front’ of sorts to fight the Grand Alliance as a whole.
Bandru Shobha Rani, a TDP member who was denied a ticket this time, had tears welling up in her eyes while speaking to the media outside NTR Bhavan, the party’s headquarters in Telangana. “I have worked for TDP since 2004, during its difficult times. We ensured that TDP stayed afloat, even when top leaders abandoned ship. During the Telangana movement, some leaders were even afraid of coming to NTR Bhavan,” she said, elaborating how she ignored by her party.
“Parties have become corporate offices, they are giving tickets to rich leaders who join the party in the last minute with money bags, ignoring honest and sincere workers. However, I will wait for Chandrababu Naidu to take a decision about me as there is still some time left for filing nominations. His decision will decide whether I will contest as a rebel or now,” said Rani. Several other TDP leaders are also miffed with their party seniors, claiming that they were not consulted while deciding candidates. Meanwhile, Congress cadres fear that several leaders like Karthik Reddy and Malreddy Ranga Reddy, who were denied tickets by Congress, may dent winning chances of Grand Alliance candidates.
The rebellion has also seen some organisational efforts. Several leaders like Vijayarama Rao, who aspired for the Station Ghanpur seat, Boda Janardhan, who aspired for Chennur seat and Patel Ramesh Reddy from Suryapet met in Hyderabad and decided to form a ‘Telangana Rebel Front’ to fight against the Grand Alliance. “RC Khuntia, Uttam Kumar Reddy and Bhatti Vikramarka have not even followed Rahul Gandhi’s instructions. Some tickets were given to candidates who lost thrice. Instead of winning horses, handicapped horses have been selected. About 40 of us, who were denied tickets by Congress, are coming together as ‘Telangana Rebel Front’. All of us will contest on one symbol and work against the Grand Alliance,” said G Vijaya Rama Rao speaking to media in Hyderabad.