Telangana Congress cracks down on ex-general secretary who criticised choice of Lok Sabha candidates, 6 guarantees

The TPCC leadership had taken cognisance of his outbursts. Earlier this week, TPCC working president Mahesh Kumar Goud — also an MLC — took note of the remarks and actions of Judson and other state-unit leaders.

He also noted that if these leaders wanted to air their grievances, they could do so in appropriate fora, hinting that the public outbursts had not gone down well with the party leadership.

Related: Telangana Congress warns dissidents criticising party, decisions in public

Notice and reaction

In the notice, TPCC Disciplinary Committee chairperson G Chinna Reddy said the panel had “received numerous complaints from various party sources concerning your engagement in anti-party activities”.

Chinna Reddy also noted: “These activities include openly criticising the policies and programmes of the Congress, as well as expressing dissent against the PCC president and the chief minister of Telangana, during your interviews on various YouTube channels.” Both positions are held by Revanth Reddy.

He added: “Such actions are in violation of the principles outlined in the Congress party constitution and are subject to disciplinary measures.”

He also said that Judson was expected to submit an explanation within three days of receiving the show-cause notice.

Failure to do so would lead to disciplinary action being initiated against him per the rules and procedures outlined in the Congress party constitution, he said.

Bakka Judson, however, told South First, “I am told by journalists that a show-cause notice has been issued in my name, but I have not received one.”

He added: “I will stand by my words and I don’t consider providing an explanation. However, let me read through it once I receive it.”

Judson also said: “I have addressed issues of policy, the former regime’s government orders (GOs) continuing, and, officers continuing in their posts in a few departments. I also raised concerns about the six guarantees.”

Also Read: Rumblings of discontent in Congress over fielding ‘migrants’

Judson’s outbursts

Judson has over the past few months come down heavily on various policies and leaders of the Congress and its Telangana unit.

For example, in an interview to a YouTube interview two weeks ago, he criticised the exclusion of Megha Engineering and its Managing Director PV Krishna Reddy when discussing the Medigadda barrage or the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) — of which the former is a part.

The Congress has already used the KLIS and the Medigadda barrage — where the sinking of piers before last year’s Telangana Assembly elections became a major issue amid allegations of corruption — to castigate the BRS.

It may be noted that Megha Engineering was responsible for the KLIS construction, and was one of the biggest donors to political parties through the struck-down electoral bonds scheme.

On another occasion, Judson questioned the need for the six Congress guarantees in Telangana in an interview on the same YouTube channel. He called them “freebies”.

“Who asked this government for free electricity? Who asked for free tickets on buses? Who asked for six guarantees?” he asked during the interview.

He claimed that the youth requested jobs but this government was concentrating on distributing freebies. ”

Judson also said Telangana Chief Minister and TPCC president Revanth Reddy should review and fill vacancies in each government department.

“Unless the issues are resolved, what is the role of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy?” he asked.

(Edited by Arkadev Ghoshal)