Former PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah resigns from Congress

Ponnala is likely to join the ruling BRS, though nothing has been confirmed yet.

Hyderabad: Senior Telangana Congress leader, former minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah has resigned from the party on Friday accusing the state Congress leadership of suppressing the Backward Classes.

Sending his resignation to the party’s high command, Ponnala alleged that there were irregularities in the allotment of tickets of candidates for the ensuing Telangana Assembly elections, which are scheduled to be held on November 30.

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He is likely to join the ruling BRS, though nothing has been confirmed yet.

Many Congress leaders are learnt to have also decided to follow Ponnala Laxmaiah.

Despite being a senior leader in the party, Ponnala Laxmaiah has not been given due recognition by the party. A few committees were appointed by the party and the former Minister was not given a post suitable to his calibre and experience, party sources said.

This apart, there are allegations that TPCC president A Revanth Reddy was backing Jangaon DCC president Kommuri Pratap Reddy from the Jangaon constituency over the former Minister’s candidature. Further, supporters of Ponnala and Pratap Reddy had clashed when CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka padayatra arrived in Jangaon.

To this effect, a group of loyal leaders had reportedly written a letter to AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge over the ill treatment towards the former Minister

In a letter to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, Ponnala alleged that despite being a senior leader, he was made to wait for months to get an appointment to discuss the concerns of the party. He added that the was made to wait for 10 days in Delhi to meet AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and yet was not allotted a single minute to voice his concerns.

“I was unceremoniously from the position of PCC President in 2015 and have since raised my voice about these issues for nine years,” he said in his letter.

“I have repeatedly sought the attention of the PCC President over the last two years to discuss these party developments. Regrettably , such attempts have been met with a lack of acknowledgement and respect. The principles of social justice, which were once the bedrock of the Congress, are seemingly outdated now, with BCs, comprising more that 50% of our society, being treated with disrespected and disregarded,” he added in his letter.

The senior leader has served as a minister for 12 years and as the PCC president of Telangana in the past.