HYDERABAD: With the Congress making last-minute changes and denying tickets to a few aspirants, there was a threat of rebellion in the grand old party. However, AICC general secretary KC Venugopal swung into action and pacified the disgruntled leaders by offering tickets in MLC and Lok Sabha elections.
This is being seen as an attempt to prevent a possible split in the traditional Congress vote bank.
On Thursday, a day before the last day for filing nominations, Venugopal arrived in Hyderabad and asked the disgruntled leaders to see him in person. He also spoke over the phone with those who were not available in the city.
According to the sources, Venugopal called up TPCC working president T Jagga Reddy as the party changed the Patancheru nominee from Neelam Madhu to Kata Srinivas Goud at the last minute. Jagga Reddy lobbied unsuccessfully for the candidature of his close aide Madhu.
Venugopal also spoke to other leaders, including former minister G Chinna Reddy, Adivasi Congress Cell national vice-chairman Belliah Naik, former Union minister Balram Naik, Youth Congress State president Shivasena Reddy, NSUI State president Venkat Balmoori, Nuthi Srikanth, N Preetham, Gali Anil Kumar Anjaneya Goud, Challa Narasimha Reddy, Parijatha Narsimha Reddy, Ramulu Naik, Aamer Javed, Suresh Shetkar, Vijayi Bhai and Naresh Jadav.
Speaking to TNIE, Bellaiah Naik said: “KC Venugopal has promised to give Lok Sabha ticket. MP seat is way better than MLA, so I opted for it, and there is no question of contesting as a rebel candidate.”
While some leaders have already filed their nominations, they are likely to withdraw them.
The Congress Secular Hindu Forum-backed B Raju Yadav has filed his nomination as a rebel candidate against the party’s nominee P Vijaya Reddy in Khairatabad.