Internal bickering may affect fortunes of Congress in Mancherial

Internal bickerings among leaders of the Congress party are likely to affect fortunes of the party in the ensuing polls

Mancherial: Internal bickerings among leaders of the Congress party are likely to affect fortunes of the party in the ensuing polls to Telangana Legislative Assembly in Mancherial district, which was once a stronghold of the national party.

The party leaders are divided into at least two groups. A section of leaders, who are unhappy with the monopoly and unilateral decisions of former MLC Prem Sagar Rao formed a group and raised a banner of revolt against him. They convened a meeting on the premises of a rice mill on the outskirts of the district town, aggravating the infighting.

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Prem Sagar Rao drew criticism from his party leaders for declaring candidates to be fielded from Bellampalli and Chennur Assembly constituencies without the knowledge of the high command.

He reportedly assured to get tickets to Dr Ganesh Rathod and Dr Ashok from Asifabad and Boath constituencies reserved to STs. He is planning to select at least three candidates in erstwhile Adilabad district.

Rao apparently belongs to the group of CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Uttam Kumar Reddy, D Sridhar Babu, Jagga Reddy, Komati Reddy Venkat Reddy, Maheshwar Reddy and others and has grip over the district for quite a long time.

He, however, has come under scanner for making unilateral decisions without consulting leaders including Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A Revanth Reddy.

Irked by Rao’s domination over the party, a section led by senior leader KV Pratap, former agriculture market committee chairman K Ramchander and some ZTPC members are trying to bring the dissent to the notice of the party high command.

Sources said that they are enjoying the support of Revanth Reddy.

Meanwhile, Bellampalli Block Congress president Afzal, district general secretary Gelli Jayaram and former councilor resigned to the party as they were depressed for being ignored to ‘Hath Se Hath Jodo’ programme being organized in several parts of the State bhy the TPCC chief .

Already, five councilors belonging to the Congress party in Mancherial municipality Ankam Naresh, Nampalli Madhavi, Sriramula Mallesh, Mothe Sujatha and Prakash Naik have shifted loyalty towards the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) as they were annoyed by the ‘arrogant’ attitude of Rao in the recent past. This has jolted the Congress party in the town.