HYDERABAD: A series of tweets and controversial remarks against TRS leaders and the Telangana state police, which came as an embarrassment to the party state leadership too, and opposition from the state leadership saw the ouster of maverick leader Digvijaya Singh as the party’s in-charge of Telangana.
The AICC on Tuesday relieved Digvijaya Singh from the responsibilities of AICC in-charge of Telangana and replaced him with his one-time deputy, RC Khuntia. AICC secretary Satish Jarkiholi will be Khuntia’s deputy now.
Digvijaya Singh, however, will continue to be the incharge for Andhra Pradesh.The state leadership is not much perplexed with Digvijaya’s ouster as they wwere waitingfor such a reshuffle. While senior leaders like former MP V Hanumantha Rao had been openly opposing Digvijaya being continued as the party’s AICC pointsman, others like TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy had been taking up the issue to the party national leadership whenever he was in Delhi.
TPCC is making a hard push to rejuvenate itself in the newly formed TS and the party state leadership is of the opinion that Digvijaya is not taking the party in the direction they wanted. “Digvijaya visits the state frequently and his visit does not last for more than a day,” a party senior said adding that the party is lagging behind not just in taking on the ‘misrule’ of the TRS but the efforts of the BJP to make Telangana its gateway to South India. The leader said adding Digvijaya was unable to meet expectations of the TPCC leadership and cadre.TPCC leaders are also of the view that Khuntia will be a ‘temporary’ adjustment and a more vociferous and competitive leader will soon be appointed as AICC incharge for the state.