Congress replaces Boath candidate, draws wrath of Adivasis

The Congress, in its list of 16 candidates released on Monday, had replaced Vannela Ashok, who was announced as the candidate in Boath in the first list

Adilabad: The Congress party’s move of replacing its Boath candidate Vannela Ashok with Ade Gajender has drawn the wrath of Adivasis in the district.

The Congress, in its list of 16 candidates released on Monday, had replaced Vannela Ashok, who was announced as the candidate in Boath in the first list, with Ade Gajender, who hails from the Lambada community even as supporters of Ashok threatened to launch a stir.

---

Members of Tudumdebba, a tribal rights organisation, burnt an effigy of TPCC president A Revanth Reddy in protest in Adilabad town on Tuesday. The organisation’s district president Godam Ganesh said the Congress was playing with the sentiments of Adivasis and was duping ethnic tribes. He cautioned that a protest would be spread across the district if the candidate was changed.

“It was nothing short of insulting aboriginal tribes who account for 6.70 lakh in erstwhile Adilabad. The Congress will remain in history as a traitor to Adivasis if Ashok is replaced. It was during the regime of the Congress that hundreds of tribals were shot dead in Indervelli in 1981. How long will the party continue to cheat us?” he asked.

The agitating tribals announced that they would obstruct Revanth Reddy’s poll rally to be held in Adilabad on November 8. They said that electors would teach a lesson to the Congress in coming polls. They demanded an explanation from the party as to why the nominee was changed.