HYDERABAD: Trouble is brewing within Congress. From its rather few MLAs to other senior and prominent leaders, almost everyone in the party is either angry at its leadership, or planning to leave it anywhow. On Saturday, two Congress heavyweights - Ponnala Laxmaiah and J Geetha Reddy - expressed resentment against the party high command for announcing Lok Sabha candidates without consulting them.
To make things worst, two PCC spokespersons, Ramya Rao and Manne Krishank, have decided to leave the party. “I am tendering my resignation to all the posts such as PCC general secretary, spokesperson, vice-chairman of SC Department and also the primary membership of the party,” Krishank informed AICC president Rahul Gandhi in an open letter. He added in his letter that youth had no political future in the party.
“I joined Congress after Telangana State was formed, hoping that youth and students would have a crucial role to play in the party. But, I have had a series of humiliations and setbacks inflicted by your leadership in Telangana,” Krishank said. He alleged that PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy had ‘discouraged’ him on many occasions. “My political mentor is (AICC leader) K Raju. But, Telangana Congress leaders often targeted him for encouraging youngsters in the party,” he alleged.
In contrast, TRS has given abundant chances to youngsters by making them MPs, MLAs and chairpersons of various corporations, Krishank told Rahul in the letter. He alleged that though the party had allotted the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly ticket to him, it was cancelled in the last minute. “Posts are being given by choice instead of merit of the leaders,” he said.
“Rahul ji, with due respect, I conclude that Telangana Congress leaders have defeated Congress in Telangana. They have made a lot of money and do not contribute to the party in any way. I have suffered a lot; I frequently visit courts due to cases filed against me. I have no strength to fight for a leadership that wants to eliminate people like us, who do not care about us. With a heavy heart, I call quits. I am relieved that I do not have to defend Telangana Congress for things like the vote-for-note case, or defections that Congress previously encouraged,” Krishank told Rahul Gandhi.
Meanwhile, another spokesperson Ramya Rao, a niece of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, too has decided to quit Congress. She is likely to join TRS soon. While in the Congress, Ramya Rao made sensational allegations in the past, such as announcing former Minister T Harish Rao would quit TRS soon. She also blamed the Chief Minister and his son, KT Rama Rao, for their ‘misrule’. Her decision to leave Congress, and likely induction into TRS, will not bode well for the grand old party.
RESENTMENT
Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders and former ministers Ponnala Laxmaiah and J Geetha Reddy were upset over the attitude of the party high command for unilaterally declaring candidates for the Lok Sabha polls. Ponnala called up State Congress affairs in-charge RC Khunita and expressed his displeasure over the matter. “Without discussion in the State Election Committee how could you clear the candidates.”