Dissent brewing among Khammam minority leaders against Congress leadership

Minority leaders and followers of the city Congress president Mohammed Javed are of the opinion that he was being ignored by the party leadership despite his committed efforts to build up the party in the district for the last 30 years.

Khammam: Dissent is growing among minority leaders and cadres of Congress in Khammam against the party leadership for ignoring minority leaders in filling up nominated posts as well as allotment of party tickets.

Minority leaders and followers of the city Congress president Mohammed Javed are of the opinion that he was being ignored by the party leadership despite his committed efforts to build up the party in the district for the last 30 years.

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It might be noted that Javed aspired for Khammam Assembly ticket in the recent Assembly elections, but was denied the ticket and Tummala Nageswara Rao, who joined the Congress before elections, was fielded

He then expected a nominated post, however he faced disappointment as he was not offered any post even as five leaders, including two Kamma community leaders, from the district were offered nominated posts much to the chagrin of him and his followers. Though Javed has not made comments openly, he is said to be upset and feeling sidelined in the party.

Now the minority leaders are asking the party high command to recognise Javed’s contributions to the party and give him the Khammam Lok Sabha ticket. The cadres are saying that it is regrettable that parachute leaders were being given posts while those working for the party for long were ignored.

A large group of Congress workers staged a dharna at the district Congress office here on Sunday. Again on Monday, around 200 minority workers and followers of Javed staged a protest at the party office and submitted a memorandum to district Congress president P Durga Prasad in support of their demand.

Speaking to the media, party leaders Syed Ghouse, Mohammed Rafi, Shanker Naik, Kandula Srinivas and others said the Congress party had the distinction of allocating the Khammam Assembly seat to Muslim minorities for six times.

However, after 1999, Muslims lacked representation from the district in the legislative houses and also in the recently announced nominated posts. The party high command should do justice to Javed by announcing him as Khammam Lok Sabha nominee, they demanded.

Meanwhile, the dilemma over the Khammam parliament candidate is continuing as there is intense competition for the ticket. Minority leaders demanding ticket to Javed has made things even tough for the party leadership in picking up a candidate.

It might be noted that senior leader V Hanumanth Rao, deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka’s wife Mallu Nandini, minister P Srinivas Reddy’s brother P Prasad Reddy and minister T Nageswara Rao’s son T Yugandhar are among those aspiring for the ticket.

It might be recalled that Hanumanth Rao had recently accused Bhatti Vikramarka of preventing him from getting the Khammam Lok Sabha ticket, bringing the internal bickering in the party out in the open