Congress leaders unhappy with CM seeking TDP support against BRS

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s call to TDP cadre to defeat the BRS has caused unease within the Congress ahead of municipal elections. Party leaders questioned the move, warning it could hurt prospects and undermine worker confidence

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s appeal to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) cadre to work towards the defeat of the BRS has triggered discontent within the Congress and sparked a wider political debate over his strategy ahead of the municipal elections.

Addressing a public meeting in Khammam on Sunday, the Chief Minister, who was earlier associated with the TDP, said followers of TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu still existed in the district. He urged them to join hands to ensure the wiping out of the BRS in Telangana.

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The remarks, however, have not gone down well with Congress leaders, many of whom have questioned the propriety and political intent of such an appeal. Senior leaders at Gandhi Bhavan expressed strong reservations, arguing that a Congress Chief Minister seeking support from TDP workers was unacceptable.

Party leaders pointed out that the Congress had contested the Assembly elections in alliance with Left parties and others, while the TDP has weakened significantly in Telangana. Seeking its cadre’s support at this stage, they said, could prove counterproductive.

Concerns were also raised over the timing of the appeal, with municipal elections scheduled across the State in the coming weeks. Leaders cautioned that a Khammam-centric strategy could adversely impact Congress prospects in other districts.

Some leaders recalled that during the Jubilee Hills by-election, the Chief Minister had similarly reached out to a particular community perceived as traditionally supportive of the TDP, causing internal discomfort.

Congress leaders maintained that the party has sufficient organisational strength to take on the BRS independently and that seeking outside support undermines the confidence of party workers.

Political observers said that amid reported internal differences within the cabinet, such moves could widen existing cracks and alter the political narrative in Telangana in the long term.