Anil Kumar Reddy left the Congress miffed by Bhongir MP Venkata Reddy trying to promote a BC leader in his constituency.
Revanth Reddy, Venkat Reddy, and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka at the Congress meeting. (Supplied)
The facade of unity put up by the Telangana Congress leaders slips sometimes to expose the chinks.
Bhuvanagiri-Yadadri District Congress Committee (DCC) President Kumbum Anil Kumar Reddy joined the BRS in the presence of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao at Pragati Bhavan in Hyderabad on Monday, 24 July.
Anil Kumar Reddy left the Congress miffed by Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkata Reddy trying to promote a Backward Classes (BC) leader in his constituency.
The BRS leaders, who are quick to see an opportunity to weaken the Congress whenever it presents itself, moved in and spirited him away from his constituency.
The development came as a rude shock to the Congress as it was chalking out strategies to win the Assembly elections, riding on the momentum created by the party’s victory in the elections to the Karnataka Assembly in May.
Anil Kumar Reddy contested for the Assembly from Bhongir on a Congress ticket unsuccessfully in the 2018 elections and had ever since been nursing the constituency with the hope that the Congress would renominate him.
But, with Venkata Reddy organising “parallel meetings” on the need for allotting Bhongir ticket to a BC, it sowed a seed of doubt in Anil Kumar Reddy’s mind that he may not get the party nomination.
He called a meeting of his workers in the constituency on Monday and explained to them the “machinations” of Venkata Reddy.
“Venkat Reddy had no qualms when he sought five to six party tickets for his family members in the past, but now he is talking about the need to promote BCs. He is creating problems for me,” he said.
As soon as the difference came to the fore, Energy Minister G Jagdish Reddy took Anil Kumar Reddy to Chief Minister and BRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao, where he was inducted into the party.
According to political analysts, Anil Kumar Reddy’s exit should serve as a warning bell to the Congress to settle the differences among the party leaders before trying to put up an image that all was well within.
Only on Sunday, poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu, at a meeting of the Political Affairs Committee at the Congress headquarters Gandhi Bhavan, had said the party was strong in erstwhile Nalgonda district and that the prospects have become bright in other districts as well.
Anil Kumar Reddy’s exit comes at a time the Congress was drawing up plans to attract leaders from other parties.
According to sources, Congress leaders who recently met at Venkata Reddy’s residence felt that the secret to success was betting on the right horses who have acceptability among the people.
It is widely believed that Chief Minister KCR’s announcement that all the sitting MLAs would be considered for allotment of tickets would leave aspirants in the constituencies concerned high and dry — and the Congress should capitalise on the situation.
The leaders went over the list of leaders who are interested in joining the Congress. They include BRS leader and former mayor and former MLA from Maheshwaram Teegala Krishna Reddy.
There are also several disgruntled leaders who are looking at the Congress. They include MLC Patnam Mahender Reddy, Gadwal ZP chairperson Saritha, Vikarabad ZP chairperson T Anitha Reddy, former MLA Vemula Veeresham, Enugu Ravinder Reddy — all BRS leaders — former MLC Kapilavai Dileep Kumar, former MLA Yennam Srinivas Reddy — both from the BJP — and businessman Sunil Reddy.
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![[Left] File photo of BJP MLA Harish Poonja, who has been booked, and [right] Poonja sitting for a protest in front of Belthangady Police Station in the early hours of Sunday, 19 May, 2024.](https://s3.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com/media.thesouthfirst.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Harish-Poonja-and-Belthangady.jpg "Harish Poonja and Belthangady")
