Telangana Polls 2023: Serious opposition against Patancheru, Narayankhed Congress candidates

The announcement of Congress candidates for Patancheru and Narayankhed Assembly Constituencies had sparked widespread protests as the followers of the Congress aspirants

Sangareddy: The announcement of Congress candidates for Patancheru and Narayankhed Assembly Constituencies had sparked widespread protests as the followers of the Congress aspirants who were denied tickets took to the streets on Tuesday.

Congress Party high command has declared Neelam Madhu, who quit Bharat Rashtra Samithi 20 days ago, as its Patancheru candidate and former Zaheerabad MP Suresh Shetkar as Narayankhed candidate in its third list on Monday late night. The followers of the Congress leader Kata Srinivas Goud, who contested from Patancheru in the 2018 elections for a losing cause, have staged protests in RC Puram, Patancheru, Jinnaram and Ameenpur mandal headquarters.

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The followers of the Goud have accused Sangareddy MLA T Jagga Reddy and TPCC President A Revanth Reddy of selling the ticket to Neelam Madhu. While Srinivas Goud has been working to strengthen Congress for a couple of decades, they said that Madhu has joined the Party just 20 days ago. They sought the explanation of the Congress Party on what basis the leadership had allotted the seat to Madhu. They have set the effigy of Revanth Reddy on fire and burnt tyres on busy NH-65 which resulted in traffic jams at several places. Later, a huge number of Congress leaders have proceeded to Revanth Reddy’s residence in Hyderabad to lay siege to his house.

Meanwhile, Veteran Congress leader Damodara Raja Narasimha has also raised his voice against the allotment of the seat to Madhu. Damodara has been a strong supporter of Kata Srinivas Goud. There were talks that even Damodara would stay away from elections if Congress failed to change its Patancheru candidate. Madhu, who landed at the airport on Tuesday afternoon from New Delhi, had filed his nomination on behalf of the Congress Party without delaying any further.

In the Narayanakhed Constituency, the followers of Patlolla Sanjeeva Reddy have staged protests across the Constituency. While Sanjeeva Reddy and Suresh Shetkar were aspiring for the ticket, the high command has announced Shetkar as the Party candidate for the second consecutive time. Sanjeeva Reddy and his followers were strongly opposing the candidature of Shetkar. There were talks that Kata Srinivas Goud and Sanjeeva Reddy would file nominations as rebels.

Meanwhile, the BRS leaders were also talking to them to invite them into the Party fold. These two decisions had literally pushed the Party into trouble in Narayankhed and Patancheru. It may even impact the Party chances across the erstwhile Medak district as it had created a big gap among the Congress leaders.