Revanth Reddy-Meenakshi Natarajan clash forces AICC to alter padayatra itinerary

Revanth Reddy is learned to have been so furious that he reportedly told Natarajan that if the high command was unhappy with his leadership, it was free to appoint somebody else in his place.

Hyderabad: A fierce verbal duel between Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan over the latter’s padayatra, slated to commence on Thursday, has forced the party high command to alter the party programme itinerary before things go out of control in Telangana, sources privy to the developments disclose.

The padayatra, as a result of the spat, has now been rescheduled with a three-day break, and more importantly, instead of Natarajan leading the padayatra, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud will be the flag-bearer for the event, which will begin from Parigi in Rangareddy on Thursday and continue till August 4 in Khanapur, Adilabad.

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Instead of continuing till August 9 as per original schedule, there will now be a three-day break, as Revanth Reddy leads a party delegation to Delhi for a protest demanding 42 per cent reservations for BCs. The three-day protest in the national capital will include an adjournment motion in Parliament and a dharna at Jantar Mantar, after which the padayatra will resume in Telangana on August 8.

The hurried changes on Wednesday came after a reported wordy duel between the Chief Minister and Natarajan during a closed-door meeting at Revanth Reddy’s residence here on Wednesday, sources say. Except for Mahesh Kumar Goud, no other leaders were permitted to join the meeting, which lasted nearly two hours.

Party sources said tempers flared between the Chief Minister and the AICC in-charge over the padayatra, with Revanth Reddy learned to have strongly objected to the programme and asserted that the party high command could not impose its decisions on him, especially concerning the organisation of the padayatra.

Revanth Reddy’s emotional outburst over the padayatra being organised without informing him in advance is said to have seen him telling Natarajan that he had taken on the BRS, particularly former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao “single-handedly” during the elections without any support from the high command.

“After leading the party to victory, the high command cannot belittle my image or attempt to undermine me,” he is said to have told her.

Revanth Reddy is learned to have been so furious that he reportedly told Natarajan that if the high command was unhappy with his leadership, it was free to appoint somebody else in his place.

Natarajan too did not back down, reportedly telling Revanth Reddy that the padayatra was proposed by the high command and that all leaders, regardless of their positions, should adhere to the party’s decisions. She is also said to have stated clearly that the padayatra was not about any individual, but a party programme aimed at strengthening the organisation.

As tensions escalated, Goud attempted to mediate and defuse the situation but was unsuccessful. Both Revanth Reddy and Meenakshi Natarajan stood firm on their positions, party sources said.

Despite the heated exchange and what transpired inside spreading like wildfire, the party attempted to downplay the incident, but the itinerary change made things evident.

Natarajan will now accompany State leaders on their visit to New Delhi on August 5, 6 and 7 and resume the padayatra on August 8 and 9, but as a participant while Goud will lead the yatra.