Telangana Congress faces crisis after MLAs’ ‘secret meeting’; leaders expose unsavoury happenings within party

'Secret meeting' issue snowballing into major crisis with open dissent by MLAs against Ministers; TPCC calls in senior leaders to keep flock together

Hyderabad: Even as the Congress is trying to sweep under the carpet the furore triggered by a ‘secret meeting’ of around 10 of its MLAs, the issue now appears to be snowballing into a major crisis, with open dissent against senior Ministers and leaders exposing the unsavoury happenings within the party, apart from raising serious concerns about rampant irregularities in administrative affairs.

Even as senior leaders are desperately trying damage control by labelling the MLAs’ meeting as a regular ‘dinner’ meeting, the episode has also revealed a widening gap between MLAs, Ministers and MPs as well. Jadcherla MLA J Anirudh Reddy, responding to questions from the media, has openly challenged senior leader and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and MP Mallu Ravi, after the latter also commented on the ‘secret meeting’.

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Admitting that the MLAs had indeed met, Anirudh Reddy, however, said he would not tolerate any sort of character assassination. Refuting Ravi’s comments that the MLAs had got together to discuss an issue one of them had over a file with a Minister, the MLA said he had not spoken about any file. He also challenged Srinivas Reddy and Ravi to make clear what file was being discussed.

“My family has a rich history and we do not indulge in any broker business. If I had asked about any file, let Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy openly declare what the file was. I will also prove with all evidence. I will not tolerate my character assassination and I will not keep quiet if baseless charges are made against me. I am prepared to take an oath in any temple to prove my integrity. MP Mallu Ravi and Minister Srinivas Reddy should disclose details of the file. I will take up the issue with AICC Telangana in-charge Deepadas Munshi tomorrow (Monday) and discuss all the issues with the high command,” Anirudh Reddy said in an interview with a visual news outlet.

In another video that is going viral, the Jadcherla MLA openly said there are many irregularities in the Revenue Department. “There are many irregularities pertaining to government land in the department. I have also raised the pollution issue in my constituency. If I don’t speak out, people in the constituency will presume that I am hand in glove with others,” Anirudh Reddy said, also vowing to fight against the irregularities in the Revenue Department. “All the irregularities will be unearthed and the persons involved in corrupt practices should be punished,” he said, adding that one official had demanded Rs 1 lakh from a farmer for a name change in the records.

TPCC steps in
With matters slipping out of hand and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy apparently struggling to keep the flock together, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee is reportedly stepping in to take over the reins. Though it is not known whether there was any message from New Delhi, party sources said senior leaders were being roped in to bring things under control.

A day after the MLAs met ‘secretly’, TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud reportedly asked former Minister K Jana Reddy to visit Gandhi Bhavan regularly and participate in party meetings. Gandhi Bhavan sources stress that the idea behind calling the former Minister was to strengthen party affairs and ensure better ‘coordination’ among leaders. Similarly, other senior leaders, who were staying away from Gandhi Bhavan for different reasons, were being asked to attend party programmes regularly.

It is learned that a few MLAs are unhappy with a few Ministers over release of funds, clearance of pending bills and executing development works in their constituencies. On the other hand, loyal Congress leaders who have been with the party for years and the 10 turncoat MLAs, who joined recently, are at loggerheads. Though the State leadership has been trying to convince the leaders at constituency level, differences continue to flare up. Be it Patancheru, Jagtial, Jogulamba Gadwal, Khairatabad, erstwhile Adilabad and others, open arguments are becoming frequent.

Criticism over Congress using government offices for party meetings
There is also criticism over Revanth Reddy meeting party leaders at the Police Command Control Centre. After a meeting with Cabinet Ministers on Friday, the Chief Minister met Karimnagar-Nizamabad-Adilabad MLC constituency Congress candidate Narender Reddy at the Control Centre. “Something is fishy. Despite Secretariat, why is he selecting Command Control Centre for meetings every time?” Raju Warangal, an X user, asked.

Earlier, questions were raised when Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao met TPCC Campaign Committee chairman Madhu Yaskhi Goud and other Congress leaders from the Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency at the Secretariat. Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, welcoming BRS workers from Suryapet into the Congress fold by presenting them the party scarf at the Secretariat, had also triggered questions.