Telangana CLP leader launches indefinite fast in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD: Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka launched an indefinite fast at Indira Park on Saturday, protesting against the ‘illegal’ merger of 12 Congress MLAs with the ruling TRS.

Speaking at his ‘Save Democracy Deeksha’, Bhatti Vikramarka said that terrorism in any form would pose a grave threat to the people. “In Telangana, KCR is pursuing political terrorism.’’  He dared the Congress MLAs, who joined the TRS, to resign and contest again if they wanted to join the pink party.

“The Congress party gave a letter about the possible defection of Congress MLAs. But, the Speaker did not act upon them. But, how can the  Speaker consider their letter for merger with TRS? He should not consider the letter given by the MLAs facing defection charges,” Bhatti said.

“TRS purchased Congress MLAs as there will be no one in the House to question the corruption of the TRS,” he said adding that the Congress MLAs were lured with work contracts, allotment of lands and regularisation of illegal lands.  Bhatti Vikramarka said they would meet the President soon.

Meanwhile, addressing the gathering, AICC incharge RC Khuntia termed the merger of 12 Congress MLAs with the ruling TRS as ‘illgal’ and ‘undemocratic’.

“All the 12 Congress MLAs did not join the TRS at one go. They joined in phases. We have already met the Assembly Speaker and requested him to disqualify the Congress MLAs. We have also met the Governor. But, there is no response to our petitions,”  Khuntia said.

The Congress party respected a Dalit leader (Vikramarka) by making him the leader of its legislature party, Khuntia said and asked if KCR did not like a Dalit becoming leader of an opposition party. 

If Bhatti continued as an Opposition leader he would thoroughly expose the misdeeds of the TRS government. That was the reason why the Congress MLAs were admitted into the TRS, Khuntia alleged.

Another senior Congress leader V Hanumantha Rao said that the selection of the candidates by the Congress was wrong and that was why they left the party.

He suggested that the party should give tickets to only loyalists in future and should not consider having money as the criteria for giving tickets. However, Khuntia objected to the remarks.  

PCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, former ministers Ponnala Laxmaiah and K Jana Reddy, party MLAs D Sridhar Babu and D Seethakka, MLC T Jeevan Reddy,  Nerella Sarada, former MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy and others participated in the Deeksha.

Telangana Jana Samithi president M Kodandaram and others were there to support the Deeksha.