ADILABAD: The ruling Congress has long witnessed group politics with certain leaders refusing to forget the differences they have with their party colleagues. The recent state Cabinet expansion has brought to the fore one such rivalry — between Mancherial MLA Premsagar Rao and Chennur legislator G Vivek Venkatswamy.
On Sunday, when a host of key leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha, Excise & Prohibition and district in-charge minister Jupally Krishna Rao and IT & Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu as well as local minister Premsagar Rao participated in a stone-laying ceremony for various developmental activities in Mancherial, Vivek was conspicuous by his absence.
Though it was not clear as to whether or not he was invited for the programme, his absence raised eyebrows as his constituency too falls under Mancherial district.
It may be mentioned here that Premsagar Rao too aspired for a ministerial berth but the party leadership decided against accommodating him in the Cabinet. It, however, allotted a berth to Vivek.
Premsagar Rao has been issuing some statements, both before and after the Cabinet expansion, targeting Vivek. Post-Cabinet expansion, he proudly declared: “In Mancherial, nene raju and nene mantri (I’m the king, I’m the minister).”
Since then Vivek has not taken part in any programmes in Mancherial segment. The Labour minister, however, participated in a programme presided over by Endowments Minister Konda Surekha in Nirmal district. On Sunday too, he visited Narnoor and Talmadugu mandals in Adilabad district to participate in some development programmes.