Congress MLAs, MPs and Ministers blame internal feud to cover up their failure in Panchayat elections

Congress leaders in Telangana attribute poor Gram Panchayat election results to internal feuds and nepotism, while local functionaries cite public dissatisfaction and lack of development funds. Allegations of sabotage by party insiders remain contested amid growing grassroots discontent

Hyderabad: Congress MLAs, MPs and Ministers are increasingly blaming internal feuds to explain the party’s poor performance in the recent Gram Panchayat elections, even as signs of public discontent grow across constituencies.

Several elected representatives have alleged that covert elements within the party worked against Congress-backed candidates. They claim this sabotage damaged the party’s prospects in many areas.

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However, party leaders and local functionaries point out that the real setback came from fielding family members and close relatives of MLAs, MPs and Ministers. Many of these candidates suffered heavy defeats in the Panchayat polls.

During a recent internal meeting, senior leaders, including AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan and TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud, reportedly flagged this issue. They observed that nepotism had hurt the party’s electoral prospects at the grassroots level.

Despite this, some MLAs continue to blame internal rivals. Wanaparthy MLA T Megha Reddy publicly alleged that a senior leader in his constituency had instructed party workers to ensure the victory of BRS-backed candidates.

Former MLA Mynampally Hanumanth Rao made similar claims, blaming covert elements for the Congress defeat in Siddipet and neighbouring districts.

Labour Minister G Vivek Venkatswamy also accused disgruntled leaders of working against the party. Addressing workers in Chennur on Thursday, he reportedly claimed that certain officials and police personnel had supported these elements.

Local leaders, however, dismissed these allegations as excuses. They argued that MLAs and Ministers were attempting to deflect attention from rising public dissatisfaction with their performance.

Several leaders pointed out that elected representatives had failed to secure adequate funds for development works. This, they said, had weakened the party’s standing at the village level.

In the past, Mahabubnagar MLA Yennem Srinivas Reddy had admitted that many legislators were unable to visit villages due to a shortage of funds. Jadcherla MLA Anirudh Reddy had also acknowledged difficulties in executing development works because of limited financial resources.

In this backdrop, local leaders said it was unfair to blame party workers or alleged covert elements for the Congress party’s poor showing in the Panchayat elections.