Kothagudem: Discontent simmers in Congress party in Pinapaka Assembly constituency

Discontent has been simmering in Congress party in Pinapaka Assembly constituency as the local MLA Payam Venkateswaralu is allegedly ignoring senior leaders and cadres.

Kothagudem: Discontent has been simmering in Congress party in Pinapaka Assembly constituency as the local MLA Payam Venkateswaralu is allegedly ignoring senior leaders and cadres.

Venkateswarlu, who got elected as Pinapaka MLA on YSRCP ticket in 2014 elections later joined the BRS party. Being a follower of Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, he joined Congress party during the last Assembly elections along with him.

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He was accused of sidelining the party ranks who worked for his victory in the Assembly elections, besides not offering them any due respect in the party activities. According to sources in the party, Venkateswarlu has been favouring his followers in offering party positions, instead of the old timers.

It was said that the MLA has been forcing the party ranks who are the followers of a senior leader, Batta Vijay Gandhi to quit the latter’s side and join him if they want positions in the party. This has been irking Gandhi, who strongly contended for the party ticket during 2023 Assembly polls; filed nomination but withdrew it at the behest of the minister Srinivas Reddy as the latter wanted to field Venkateswarlu.

Gandhi was assured Burgampahad agriculture market committee chairman post but the MLA has been obstructing him from getting the post, complained followers of Gandhi. Neighbouring Bhadrachalam market committee post was filled but Burgampahad post was put on hold because of the MLA, they said.

Similarly, senior leaders like Chand Santhosh, the son of former MLA Chanda Lingaiah, P Srivani and Tulluri Brahmaiah, who happened to be a close associate of Venkateswarlu, were also unhappy with the MLA’s demeanour.

Until recently Brahmaiah and Venkateswarlu moved closely but later distance between them increased allegedly due to differences in the matters related to granting work contracts as well as in sanctioning of sand reaches. The MLA was accused of supporting sand mafia as against his promise of curtailing it, if he was elected as the MLA.

The matter of differences between Venkateswarlu and the senior leaders was recently taken to the notice of ministers, Srinivas Reddy and Tummala Nageswara Rao, who maintain their own follower base in the constituency. The disgruntled leaders were reportedly told to wait for sometime assuring that the party affairs in the constituency would soon be sorted out.