In yet another shock to the Indian National Congress party in Telangana, some of the senior leaders are set to join the ruling TRS on June 15.
Citing internal squabbles in the Congress and for greener pastures, the senior leaders like MP Gutha Sukhender Reddy, former MP G Vivek and former minister G Vinod and MLA from Miryalguda Bhaskar Rao and CPI MLA from Devarakonda Ravindra Kumar are switching loyalties to the TRS in two days. Being auspicious day, they are joining the ruling party on June 15 after the TRS Supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao giving them a green signal, it is learnt.
After a meeting at Vivekananda’s residence, at a joint media conference, Gutha Sukhender Reddy expressed pain in quitting the Congress and hastened to thank AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi for giving him ticket for Lok Sabha seat. Citing internal squabbles within the Congress as the reason for their decision to quit, Gutha said they have all decided to join the ruling party for the development of the State. Gutha said he was ready to resign from the MP post and join the TRS to support KCR for completion of the projects, power plants and effectively implementing welfare programs. Sukhender Reddy was one of the two Congress leaders who managed to win Lok Sabha seats in 2014 despite the TRS wave
Vivek also sung similar tune saying that despite sensing defeat he fought the recent general elections in vain. “From the TRS, we went back to the Congress on the promise of statehood and now for the State development beating a retreat and joining the ruling party,” he said. “As there was no scope in the Congress which was caught in the web of skirmishes and with no future in 2019 elections, we are quitting the party”, said Vivek, son of former Union minister late G Venkatswamy fondly known as “Kaka”. “Sonia Gandhi gave statehood to Telangana with great heart and we are indebted to her,” he said. Now that the State development is being paramount taking a cue from KCR, we are joining the TRS,” Vivek added.
Kaka’s another son and former minister G. Vinod said to complete the last wish of his father, they are joining the ruling party for State’s development and welfare of all sections. Lone CPI legislator Ravindra Kumar said the ruling party gave Rs 300 crore for the development of his constituency Devarakonda in Nalgonda district. “Since the ruling party was implementing many welfare scheme, we are joining the TRS to support KCR’s development programs”, he added.
Meanwhile, some leaders have come out openly to criticize State party chief Uttam Kumar Reddy over his style of functioning, while some others have termed party’s floor leader in Assembly K Jana Reddy as a ‘covert’ of the TRS. (NSS)