NALGONDA: With panchayat elections nearing, the Congress leadership in Nakrekal Assembly constituency is grappling with internal dissent as loyalists revolt against sitting MLA Vemula Veeresham over candidate picks.
According to party leaders, the constituency comprising six mandals and 130 gram panchayats is witnessing growing discontent among long-serving Congress cadre.
They allege that the MLA, who defected from the BRS to the Congress before the last Assembly election, is giving priority to leaders who joined him from the BRS, sidelining senior Congress workers who have been loyal to the party for years.
This has allegedly triggered a wave of rebellion, with senior party functionaries fielding rival candidates in several villages.
Multiple contestants, each claiming Congress backing, are entering the fray for sarpanch and ward member posts, raising fears of a split in the vote base at the grassroots.
The constituency has seen similar political realignments in the past. Veeresham, who won on a BRS ticket in 2014, lost in 2018 to Congress leader Chirumarthy Lingaiah.
Lingaiah later joined the BRS, while Veeresham switched to the Congress and reclaimed the seat in 2023. Now, old-timers are accusing him of favouring only those who migrated with him from the BRS.
Senior Congress leaders have complained to Nalgonda district incharge minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, urging him to intervene. The ‘rebellion’ has reportedly reached a point where some veteran leaders have filed nominations in almost every village, openly challenging the MLA’s choices.
Party insiders warn that if both a minister and the local MLA campaign separately for different Congress candidates, it could confuse voters and weaken the party’s position.