HYDERABAD: In the wake of reports of the possibility of Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu, separately met the former in an attempt to persuade him to stay on in the party.
However, when reports came in last, Rajagopal didn’t respond too positively and maintained an ambiguous stand. Speaking to the media after meeting Rajagopal, Vikramarka said that Rajagopal had a lot of respect for Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. “I asked him not to take a hasty decision,” he said. In reply to a question, Vikramarka said he didn’t see anything wrong in Rajagopal meeting BJP leader Amit Shah.
He said, “In pursuit of development activities, MLAs, MPs and MLCs meet Ministers, there is nothing wrong in it,” he said. Revealing the details of his meeting with the Congress Legislative Party leader, Rajagopal said, “The CLP leader asked me not to defect to another party. I asked him why he was not speaking against the trouble within the Congress.
I feel uncomfortable when new entrants get top positions in the party. I am an original Congress leader. However, there appears to be space or respect for original Congress persons in the party.” Rajagopal once again reiterated that the BJP alone has the strength to defeat the TRS. He said that he would take a decision when the time comes.
During a press conference on Sunday, Rajagopal expressed that he has no intention to work under the leadership of those who were jailed for their “wrong deeds”. He also said that it is only Bharatiya Janata Party that could dethrone Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. While it is reported that the Congress high command wasn’t too thrilled with Rajagopal’s remarks, party leaders lined up to woo him to stay on.