A group of senior Congress leaders from Telangana on Wednesday calling on AICC president Rahul Gandhi, ostensibly to greet him on his birthday in New Delhi, triggered rumours that the meeting was meant to lodge a complaint against State PCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy. More so, as the team consisted of leaders who were not comfortable with Mr. Reddy for some time. The group included TPCC working president Bhatti Vikramarka, Revanth Reddy, D.K. Aruna (MLAs), expelled MLA Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, MLC K. Rajagopal Reddy, former minister D. Sridhar Babu and former Mayor Banda Karthika Reddy, among others.
Sources said after greeting Mr. Gandhi leaders tried to raise some party issues but he did not show interest.
When Komatireddy Venkata Reddy tried to speak he was stopped by AICC secretary and Telangana in-charge R.C. Khuntia, stating that the purpose of the meeting was to wish Mr. Gandhi. Some sought time from Mr. Gandhi for discussing the party issues at a later time. He apparently responded positively. However, no complaint was lodged against Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Later, a group of leaders met AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot, and discussed with him the Congress affairs in the State apart from giving suggestions on improving party’s image in Telangana. The group reportedly referred to Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy’s functioning and wanted everyone to be taken into confidence while taking party decisions.
Sources said their grouse against Mr. Reddy was that he was reluctant to recommend the names given by the top leaders in the PCC committee and other party organisations. Moreover, the admitting of leaders from other parties without consulting them was another issue that the leaders felt ‘insulted’.
They also referred to how the party failed to utilise the expulsion of two Congress MLAs from the Assembly to its political advantage.
A senior leader who went to New Delhi told The Hindu that they were happy on the assurance given by Mr. Gandhi to discuss party issues at a later date. “We didn’t complaint against anyone in particular but only tried to explain how seniors were being left out in crucial decisions. And this was detrimental to the party’s interests,” he said.