Is Telangana Congress witnessing a revolt from within?
HYDERABAD: It seems a revolt has broken out in the Telangana Congress against the leadership of TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy. And this comes at a time when the State is set to go for polls next year.
Party seniors including Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, DK Aruna, TPCC working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and A Revanth Reddy, who are considered as the detractors of Uttam are learnt to have complained against the attitude of the TPCC chief to none other than AICC president Rahul Gandhi, during their meeting with him in Delhi on Wednesday.
According to sources, all the leaders who had gone to the national capital on Tuesday to greet Rahul on his birthday, on Wednesday had a detailed meeting with the AICC president. During the meeting, leaders like Komtaireddy Venkat Reddy and Aruna reportedly told Rahul that Uttam was not leading the TPCC in a proper way.
They felt that if Uttam continued in the top post till the 2019 polls, the party would not get at least 15 seats in the next Assembly polls. Hence, they advocated for a change of leadership at the TPCC level.
It was further learnt that some of them told Rahul that Uttam was going soft against the ruling TRS leadership.
Later, Venkat Reddy, who has been openly opposing Uttam’s leadership and is in the race for TPCC chief’s post, told media that they had submitted a list of seniors in the party to Rahul and urged him to have one-on-one with all those leaders in order to assess the party’s ground level situation in the State. He said Rahul Gandhi had accepted their suggestions and would soon hold a meeting with the seniors. Soon after that, AICC state affairs incharge RC Khuntia, while interacting with media in Delhi, said none had complained against Uttam Kumar Reddy to the AICC high command. He, however, did not give a clear reply on whether Uttam will remain in the TPCC chief’s post till 2019 polls.
Uttam says leaders ready to join Congress
Back in Hyderabad, TPCC chief Uttam, who was celebrating his birthday on Wednesday, said he did not think that the leaders who were in Delhi had complained against him. “All of them went to Delhi to greet Rahul ji on his birthday,” he commented.
After celebrating his 56th birthday at Gandhi Bhavan, Uttam said many leaders belonging to TRS, BJP and TDP were waiting to join the Congress Party.
He announced that the Congress party would soon convene mandal level meetings to discuss reservation of seats for sarpanches. He said the Congress was fully prepared to face the Panchayat elections.
Wishes from all
Governor ESL Narasimhan, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and several others greeted the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy on his birthday on Wednesday