Infighting leaves Congress in chaos in erstwhile Warangal

The battle for dominance within Congress has reached new heights, particularly in Warangal West and Warangal East constituencies

Warangal: The ever-escalating infighting in the Congress party in the erstwhile Warangal district is leaving the cadre in utter chaos ahead of the upcoming general elections.

The battle for dominance within the party has reached new heights, particularly in Warangal West and Warangal East constituencies. While such infighting is not unfamiliar to the party, the divisions between different factions have grown wider, causing a headache for the State leadership, and confusion among local party activists.

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The ongoing dispute between Hanamkonda DCC president Naini Rajender Reddy and another prominent leader and former DCC president of Jangaon, Janga Raghava Reddy, has come to the forefront during the protests against the Telangana decennial celebrations. While Rajender Reddy and his followers organised a “Vanta-Varpu” programme near the DCC office at Ashoka Junction, Raghava Reddy conducted a rally from the Housing Board colony to the Hanamkonda Tahsildar office with his cadre.

These factions have been conducting separate programmes, engaging in name-calling, and even resorting to physical altercations, of late, exacerbating an already fragile situation.

Adding to the turmoil, Raghava Reddy recently established his own office on Hunter Road in Hanamkonda, further intensifying the internal strife within the West Congress cadre. With Rajender Reddy, who was appointed president of DCC, continuing with the activities in the West constituency from the DCC office at Ashoka junction in Hanamkonda, Raghava Reddy’s decision to set up a separate party office highlights the deep divisions within the party.

Raghava Reddy, who previously contested as a Congress candidate in the Palakurti constituency during the 2018 elections, has shifted his political focus to the West constituency. Expressing his intention to contest the upcoming election from the Warangal West constituency, he has been conducting his own programmes leading to a fierce struggle between his supporters and those of Rajender Reddy, often resulting in verbal attacks and physical confrontations.

The Warangal East constituency cadre of the party is also plagued by divisions, as both Errabelli Swarna, the newly appointed Warangal DCC president, and former Minister Konda Surekha’s factions frequently engage in quarrels. Similar situations can be observed in several other constituencies in the erstwhile Warangal district besides Warangal West. The lack of unity across all levels has made it increasingly challenging for the party to present a united front against the BRS.