Differences within Telangana Congress spill into public view

Hyderabad: Internal differences within the Telangana Congress are becoming increasingly public as the government approaches the completion of three years in office. Disputes among MLAs, MPs and Ministers over financial and political issues have come to the fore.

Congress MLA from Jadcherla, J Anirudh Reddy, accused Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka of delaying the release of bills. Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy criticised Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy over alleged negligence in executing irrigation works in Munugode.

The latest dispute involves Peddapalli Congress MP G Vamshi Krishna and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu. Their differences have now escalated into a public confrontation.

Vamshi Krishna took a sarcastic dig at the Industries Minister over his absence from the Congress programme held at Ramleela Grounds in New Delhi on Sunday. He also wrote to the Minister, asking him not to take action against Peddapalli MLA Vijayaramana Rao and Ramagundam MLA Makhan Singh Thakur.

“I am surprised at your absence along with these two MLAs from the Congress party’s programme against Vote Chori in New Delhi. Do not suspend them from the party,” Vamshi Krishna said in the letter. The sarcastic remarks in the letter have since circulated on social media.

The latest confrontation follows a programme in which Congress leaders distributed school bags to poor students at the Government School in Koyyur, under the Manthani constituency. The programme was organised under the aegis of the Kaka Venkat Swamy Charitable Trust.

Vamshi Krishna strongly objected to the Industries Minister’s decision to suspend a tribal woman leader and several other leaders who attended the programme. He said the action was taken without issuing any notice to them. “If Congress leaders attending a Congress MP’s programme is construed as a violation of discipline, then how is the absence of MLAs from the party’s crucial programme not a violation? This needs to be viewed seriously,” Vamshi Krishna said.

He further stressed that party rules and discipline should apply equally to everyone, irrespective of whether the person is an MP, MLA, Minister or a woman ward member from the tribal community.