After caste and religion, Congress in Telangana now split on district lines

Party MLAs from Rangareddy begin lobbying with AICC leaders in New Delhi following speculations over a possible Cabinet expansion

HYDERABAD: After caste and religious divisions, the Congress in Telangana now appears to have split on district lines. With speculations doing rounds over a possible Cabinet expansion, Congress MLAs from Rangareddy are lobbying hard for a berth with AICC leaders in New Delhi.

To this effect, MLAs from erstwhile Rangareddy have written letters to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and MP Sonia Gandhi. This apart, they personally met the AICC chief and others in the national capital.

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The MLAs appealed to the AICC leaders that one MLA from the district should be accommodated in the cabinet. The letters were signed by Speaker G Prasad Kumar, Ibrahimpatnam MLA Malreddy Rangareddy, Parigi MLA T Ram Mohan Reddy, Tandur MLA B Manohar Reddy and DCC president Challa Narsimha Reddy.

“As we approach the GHMC and local body elections later this year, we firmly believe that Ministerial representation from the district will bolster our party’s prospects and enhance our electoral performance,” they said in the letter.

Interestingly, former Minister K Jana Reddy also is learned to have written to the AICC requesting that MLAs from erstwhile Rangareddy be provided a berth in the cabinet.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Jeevan Reddy took many by surprise with his comments of quitting the Congress and joining the BSP. It may be recalled that the former MLC was unhappy with the State leadership over a few decisions, especially denying him an MLC ticket and others.

He made these comments in Jagtial during the Congress whip Adluri Laxman’s birthday celebrations. In a video that is going viral on social media platforms, Jeevan Reddy is seen offering a sweet to BSP MLA contestant from Dharmapuri – Vijay, and saying “What is there in the Congress that you have joined our party? In fact, had you been there, I wanted to come into your party.”