All is not well in Kothagudem district Congress, seniors upset with leadership

The dissatisfaction among party leaders was evident at a recent awareness meeting held by the District Congress Committee in Kothagudem town regarding the state government's caste enumeration. The meeting was attended by MLAs K. Kanakaiah (Yellandu), P. Venkateshwarlu (Pinapaka), Tellam Venkat Rao (Bhadrachalam), and T. Adinarayana (Aswaraopet), along with members of the BC Commission and district Congress president Podem Veeraiah.

Kothagudem: All is not well in Kothagudem district Congress as senior party leaders openly expressing their dissent against the party leadership.

The displeasure of the party leaders came to light at a recent awareness meeting organised by the District Congress Committee in Kothagudem town on the caste enumeration being taken up by the State government. The meeting attended by MLAs K Kanakaiah of Yellandu, P Venkateshwarlu of Pinapaka, Tellam Venkat Rao of Bhadrachalam and T Adinarayana of Aswaraopet along with BC Commission members besides the district Congress president Podem Veeraiah.

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A senior party leader Anthony Paul complained that justice was not to a single party worker in the district even after ten months were over since Congress came to power in the State. He said MLAs have been ignoring the senior cadres and leaders who worked hard for the party victory.

The MLAs have failed to hold a meeting with the party workers not even once to learn about their needs. Those who joined Congress from other parties recently were being given priority while the seniors were neglected, he noted.

Paul stated that every Congress worker in the district was upset with the party leadership. He demanded the party leadership to respect the seniors and to give nominated posts to the senior leaders alone. Though the BC Commission was formed the responsibilities of its members were not chalked out clearly, he noted.

On the other hand, there has been a tussle going on between former Bhadrachalam MLA, Veeraiah and incumbent MLA Venkat Rao, who joined Congress after getting elected on BRS ticket in the last Assembly elections.

The followers of Veeraiah have accused Venkat Rao of giving priority to his followers while neglecting Veeraiah’s supporters. Both the leaders were at odds given the fact that Veeraiah reportedly tried to prevent Venkat Rao, a follower of minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, from joining Congress.

Recently, a banner appeared at Dummugudam mandal headquarters against the MLA alleging that senior Congress leaders were ignored in constituting the Indiramma housing committees. Some leaders were said to have taken the matter to the TPCC leadership.