NALGONDA: Encouraged by its victory in the Karnataka elections, the State unit of Congress is chalking out strategies to replicate that result in Telangana. As part of their plan to regain power, the party is trying to rope in leaders from other parties, including the ruling BRS as well as the BJP.
According to the party’s senior leader and Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, two suspended leaders of BRS and two BJP leaders are on the radar of the grand old party.
During an interaction with the media at Gudapur village of Munugode mandal on Wednesday, he expressed confidence that the Congress will come to power after the next elections. “Like in Karnataka, Congress will also regain power in Telangana,” he said. Speaking about the efforts being made to strengthen the party in the State, he said: “We are in touch with Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy and Jupally Krishna Rao. We have invited them to join Congress.”
"I will also be talking to (Komatireddy) Rajgopal and Eatala Rajender,” he added.
The ruling BRS suspended former minister Krishna Rao and ex-MP Srinivasa Reddy for “anti-party activities”. Since their April suspension, the BJP has also been trying to woo the duo. On the other hand, Eatala Rajender and Rajgopal Reddy, the younger brother of Venkat Reddy, joined the saffron brigade from BRS and Congress respectively. Venkat Reddy also declared that he will not be in the race for the chief minister’s post if the Congress is voted power in the State.
‘Working unitedly’
When asked about the internal problems in Congress, Venkat Reddy said: “There are no differences among the seniors leaders. We are all working unitedly and moving forward with the sole of objective of bringing Congress back power in Telangana.”
Referring to the alleged hate campaign being run against him and other party leaders on social media platforms, he said: “The seniors are being targeted with false information on social media. It’s painful to see leaders like Uttam Kumar Reddy being targeted. The party is right in taking action against the culprits targeting and trolling the senior leaders.”
Meanwhile, Venkat Reddy denied allegations made against him by Telangana Legislative Council chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy, stating that the former owns lands worth crores of rupees in Kokapeta.
Challenging Sukhendar to prove his allegations, he said: “Let Sukhendar take all my properties and give me his house in Nalgonda. He has properties worth Rs 5,000 crore.”