Crown of thorns: Who’s the next Congress Legislature Party leader?

HYDERABAD: Who will be the leader of Opposition in the State? After a dismal performance in the Assembly election, with many senior Congress leaders biting the dust, the party has very few choices this time around. 

The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) will meet on January 16, a day before the first session of the Legislative Assembly, to elect its leader. Party high command has appointed Kerala Congress leader and AICC general secretary KC Venugopal as observer for the election. The election itself will be a ‘sealed cover’ affair. 

With the defeat of several senior leaders such as K Jana Reddy, A Revanth Reddy, DK Aruna and J Geetha Reddy, the names of the few victorious leaders — PCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy and Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka — are doing the rounds for the CLP leader post. However, Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, MLA-elect from Munugode, has demanded that he be made the CLP leader as the party needs ‘young blood’ for its survival. Former ministers D Sridhar Babu and P Sabitha Indra Reddy, D Anasuya, Gandra Venkata Rama Reddy and others have thrown their hate in the ring as well. 

In the pervious Assembly, the post was given to former MLA and senior leader K Jana Reddy while N Uttam Kumar Reddy was the PCC president. If the Congress continues with Uttam Kumar as the PCC chief, he will most likely not be the CLP leader. With Lok Sabha elections also round the corner, both posts are highly important for the party’s future. 

If Uttam Kumar Reddy and Madhira-elect Bhatti Vikramarka are made CLP leader and deputy leader respectively, the Congress high command will find another leader for PCC chief post. 
Meanwhile, it is rumoured that some of the 19 Congress MLAs may defect to ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi. Some MLAs like D Sudheer Reddy have, however, refuted this claim and termed it TRS’ ‘mind game’.