Congress MLC Jeevan Reddy’s remarks on defections triggers verbal war

Senior Congress MLC T Jeevan Reddy's call for disqualifying BRS turncoats, has brought internal differences within the party into the spotlight

Hyderabad: Senior Congress MLC T Jeevan Reddy’s open criticism of the handling of defections by the Congress, and his call for disqualifying BRS turncoats, has brought internal differences within the party into the spotlight. Ironically, Congress leaders have made contradictory statements on the defections, with Jagtial MLA Sanjay Kumar denying to have joined the Congress, while TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud admitted to have inducting BRS MLAs as per the party high command’s orders.

Following the murder of his close aide, Jeevan Reddy expressed his outrage over the erosion of principles in the Congress. He questioned the need for the party leadership to encourage defection of BRS MLAs into the Congress, despite having adequate strength in the Assembly. He asserted that such actions went against Congress policies, and demanded for disqualification of the turncoats.

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BRS working president KT Rama Rao joined the fray to turn the tables, taunting Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for encouraging defections despite being denounced by his own party leaders. He questioned whether Revanth Reddy would accept responsibility and take action against the defectors, or ignore concerns of a senior leader like Jeevan Reddy who was openly criticising the Congress leadership for poaching opposition MLAs and demanding for their disqualification.

Further, the Congress MLC’s remarks have put TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud and other Congress leaders in a tight spot, as they made contradictory statements over defections. Mahesh Kumar Goud distanced the party from Jeevan Reddy’s remarks terming them as personal opinion and went on to claim that Jeevan Reddy was fully aware of the reasons why the Congress inducted the BRS MLAs.

“He is only speaking out of anger. We inducted the BRS MLAs including Jagtial MLA into the Congress as per the high command’s directions. The high command also convinced leaders like Jeevan Reddy in this regard,” he said.

Adding more confusion to the controversy, Jagtial MLA Sanjay Kumar, one of the defectors, defended his actions. He claimed to be still a BRS MLA who was working with the Congress government for his constituency’s development. He boasted that his family originally belonged to the Congress, but he shifted to BRS as he was denied opportunity to contest. However, his claim of not officially joining Congress has only added to the confusion.

Former Minister and senior BRS MLA T Harish Rao stated that the double standards and hypocrisy of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was completely exposed by TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud. “Rahul Gandhi boasts of being the savior of the Constitution, but the TPCC president confirms that the defections happening in Telangana are in accordance with the directions of the Congress and its top leadership,” he said.