After minorities, tribals raise ‘Revanth Hatao Congress Bachao’ slogans

The tribal community leaders said the TPCC president Revanth Reddy was trying to fuel differences between the Lambada and Gond communities

Hyderabad: After the Congress minority wing, now the Lambada community wing of the Congress is raising ‘Revanth Hatao- Congress Bachao’ slogans, charging that the community leaders were betrayed and denied tickets to contest the forthcoming elections.

The community leaders even warned that if TPCC president A Revanth Reddy did not mend his ways, the community would show its might and offer a ‘return gift’ to the Congress party. They said the TPCC president was trying to fuel differences between the Lambada and Gond communities. In Asifabad constituency, the Gond community has over 75,000 votes but Ajmeera Shyam (from the Lambada community) was fielded. Likewise, in Khanapur, the Lambada community has 42,000 voters but Vedma Bhojju, a Gond community leader, has been fielded, TPCC Adivasi wing State vice-chairman Bharath Chauhan said.

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Addressing the media here on Tuesday, he said the ruling BRS party had offered seven seats to leaders from the Lambada community but the Congress was not giving them their rightful share of representation. The TPCC president was discriminating the Lambada community, which can be influential in 40 constituencies, he said.

“If Revanth Reddy does not mend his ways and reconsider the candidatures in many constituencies, the Lambada community will give a ‘return gift’” said Chauhan, who was aspiring to contest from Khanapur.

AICC Adivasi Congress Meghalaya incharge Ravi Naik said the Banjaras (Lambadas) had always supported the Congress party. Since the last 10 years, however, the community was getting away from the Congress and as a result, Congress was losing elections both at the Centre and in the State, he said.

Of the 12 seats reserved for STs, earlier eight seats were issued to Banjaras. The allocation has been gradually declining, he said, adding that the Lambada community has 32 lakh votes in the State but were given only five seats, he said.

Girijan Sangham JAC president Ashok Rathod found fault with the Congress for issuing the Khanapur ticket to Vedma Bhojju, who was also accused of triggering differences between the two communities.
He sought to know the reasons behind denying tickets to leaders like Ramulu Naik, Bellaiah Naik and Balram Naik. Tickets were being issued to aspirants, who can offer huge amounts and to ‘parachute’ leaders like Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, Yesashwini Reddy and others who were given tickets overnight, he said.