It appears senior Congress leader and party MP from Bhongir parliamentary constituency Komatireddy Venkat Reddy is provoking the party high command to sack him from the party that would pave the way for his defection to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
On Tuesday, Komatireddy kicked up a controversy by saying that the Congress party would join hands with the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) after the next assembly elections, which might witness a hung assembly.
“Nobody will win 60 seats this time. KCR has praised Congress in the assembly. Congress is a secular party. The BRS is a secular party. Who will KCR join hands with? Isn’t it only us?” he remarked.
Komatireddy’s comments triggered unrest in the party with several seniors condemning them and demanding action against the MP. Senior party leader and PCC vice president Mallu Ravi said the Congress would win with a thumping majority.
He said senior leaders like Komatireddy should refrain from making such comments that would lead to ‘confusion among party workers.
“There is no need for the Congress to join hands with anybody,” Ravi said.
The Bhongir MP also announced his own yatra in the state on March 1. He said that senior leaders of the Congress are not able to come together on one stage.
“Only winning candidates should be given seats. Doesn’t matter whether they are new or old,” he remarked.
Both the ruling BRS and the BJP overruled his remarks and expressed confidence that their parties will win sweepingly in the upcoming polls.
“Congress party is not in the ring anymore. That is why they want to join hands with the BRS. The Congress leaders who won in the past have joined the BRS. People know that if they vote for Congress, it is voting for BRS,” BJP chief Bandi Sanjay said.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in May last year and senior leaders of the party including TPCC chief Revanth Reddy had repeatedly denied the scope of forming alliances with anybody including the BRS in Telangana.
“If next time anyone speaks of alliances, they will be expelled…no matter how big they are,” Rahul Gandhi had said.
