Janahita Padayatra to resume after Aug 23, says TPCC chief Goud

TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud announced that the Janahita Padayatra will resume after August 23. Dismissing rumours of a rift with CM Revanth Reddy, he claimed a BC leader would be Telangana’s next CM and defended the padayatra’s popularity

Hyderabad: TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Saturday clarified that the “Janahita Padayatra”, which was halted abruptly on August 4, would resume after August 23.

Speaking informally with the media at Gandhi Bhavan, Goud surprised party workers by asserting that a BC leader from Congress would become the next Chief Minister of Telangana. He dismissed “false campaigns” about a rift between him and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, saying, “We enjoy a cordial relationship and are united in our fight for implementing 42 per cent reservations for BCs.”

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With speculation rife in political circles that the Congress high command may spring a surprise, his remarks are seen as significant. Goud did not specify why the padayatra was being delayed until August 23, but insisted that the event was originally his idea. He alleged that vested interests had falsely portrayed it as an AICC incharge Meenakshi Natarajan initiative.

“Initially, the plan was to conduct a bus yatra but later we changed it into a padayatra. Like the Bharat Jodo Yatra, the Janahita Padayatra is a big hit,” he claimed, adding that the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and other senior leaders would join him.

Defending Revanth Reddy’s recent statement that he would remain Chief Minister for 10 years, Goud said it was meant to boost public confidence in the Congress government. “There has been a lot of change in the Chief Minister’s behaviour; he is a different person now compared to when he was TPCC president,” he remarked.

On recent objections raised by Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy and Jadcherla MLA J Anirudh Reddy, Goud said the party’s Disciplinary Committee would address the matter. He also stated that the Political Advisory Committee would meet in four to five days to take a decision on BC reservations.