Infighting reaches boiling point in Congress in erstwhile Warangal

The suspension of Prathap Reddy has fuelled a longstanding rivalry between Prathap Reddy and former PCC chief and MLA Ponnala Lakshmaiah.

Warangal: The Congress party in the erstwhile Warangal district is facing a rise in internal bickering as the general elections approach. With multiple senior leaders vying for MLA tickets in various constituencies, the infighting is intensifying by the day.

While Hanamkonda district Congress president Naini Rajender Reddy announced the expulsion of party leader and former DCCB chairman Janga Raghava Reddy from the party after the latter declared his intention to contest from the Warangal West constituency, in a fresh development, the Jangaon DCC president suspended former MLA Kommuri Prathap Reddy.

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The suspension of Prathap Reddy has fuelled a longstanding rivalry between Prathap Reddy and former PCC chief and MLA Ponnala Lakshmaiah. While it is alleged that Lakshmaiah directed local party leaders to see that Prathap Reddy was suspended. Meanwhile, Prathap Reddy’s followers pointed out the absence of a District Congress Committee appointed by the party and questioned how he could be suspended by a non-existent committee.

The infighting has led to physical altercations between the two factions during Bhatti Vikramarka’s yatra at Abdul Nagaram village in Jangaon district on Friday. In Parkal constituency too, there is fighting among groups of former Minister Konda Surekha’s followers and senior leader Engala Venkatram Reddy as both are aspiring for the ticket from the constituency.

In all other constituencies except Mulugu, the infighting continues, causing headaches for the already divided party State leadership.

“If the high command fails to quell the internal bickering, it would not be surprising if the BRS wins all MLA seats in the coming election,” a senior Congress leader said.