Defections are with AICC approval only, reveals Congress leader Madhu Yaskhi Goud

Stating that the defection of MLAs was being encouraged after getting the AICC's approval, Goud said the MLAs were not being compelled nor were they being assured any posts.

Hyderabad: In a revelation that shows it was not just Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy who was going against the Congress manifesto that promised Constitutional amendments to prevent unlawful political defections, All India Congress Committee (AICC) spokesperson Madhu Yaskhi Goud on Monday said the defections, especially those from the BRS, were with approval from New Delhi only.

Stating that the defection of MLAs was being encouraged after getting the AICC’s approval, Goud said the MLAs were not being compelled nor were they being assured any posts.

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“Though encouraging defection of MLAs is against the party’s ideologies, it is now inevitable in Telangana. In self-defense, you need to fire,” Goud, who is also the Campaign Committee chairman, said.

He also said AICC Telangana incharge Deepadas Munshi did not have any role in appointment of chairpersons for different corporations. In fact, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu took the decisions in appointments, he said.

On the other hand, even as the race for the post of the president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) continues, Goud, who is also one of the contenders, asserted that he would not settle for anything less than the TPCC president post.

Claiming that there was not much of discussion over appointment of the new PCC president in New Delhi during the State leadership meeting recently, the AICC spokesperson said there were discussions over the cabinet expansion. There was discussion over who should be considered for cabinet berths and the portfolios allotment, he said during a chit chat with media persons at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday.