HYDERABAD: Maheswaram MLA and former Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy has snubbed AICC president Rahul Gandhi and reportedly decided to join the ruling TRS on Wednesday. The efforts of the Congress to retain Sabitha in the Congress proved futile. Now, Sabitha and her son Karthik Reddy are likely to don pink robes. Sabitha Reddy’s decision came as a rude shock to the Opposition Congress.
She is expected to meet CM K Chandrasekhar Rao at Pragathi Bhavan on Wednesday. It is also widely rumoured that LB Nagar MLA D Sudheer Reddy too would join the TRS along with Sabitha.In a day of fast-paced developments, AICC president Rahul Gandhi invited Sabitha to Delhi to meet him and discuss what Congress could do to her.
The invite came two days after Sabitha met TRS working president KT Rama Rao at the residence of Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi. Meanwhile, PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and working president A Revanth Reddy too tried to convince Sabitha to remain in the Congress.
Furious at Cong leaders
After the Congress’ efforts, Sabitha held a meeting with her followers and well-wishers in Maheswaram twice. Most of her followers wanted her to join the TRS. Respecting the sentiments of her followers, she decided against meeting Rahul Gandhi. Earlier in the day, speaking to reporters, Sabitha said: “I got an invite from Rahul Gandhi. But, I have not decided whether to go or not”.
Finally, in the evening the she made up her mind not to meet Rahul Gandhi and decided to go with her earlier plans of joining TRS. Sabitha was also furious that no Congress leader responded against Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy’s comments against her. Vishweshwar Reddy, who recently defected from TRS to Congress, said that there was no loss to the Congress, even if Sabitha joined TRS.
Sabitha was also upset that her son Karthik Reddy, who unsuccessfully contested for Chevella Lok Sabha seat in 2014 on Congress ticket, was not given due importance at Rahul Gandhi’s recent public meeting in Shamshabad.
Konda arrested in Vikarabad
Vikarabad police on Tuesday arrested Chevella Lok Sabha member Konda Vishweshwar Reddy and foiled his one day Deeksha against the injustice done to the erstwhile Ranga Reddy district under the TRS rule. Vishweshwar Reddy planned the Deeksha in Vikarabad alleging that the erstwhile Ranga Reddy district did not get irrigation water. There was no development in the backward district under the TRS’ rule, he alleged.