Congress MP’s audio on support for BJP Munugode candidate emerges, party issues notice

The All India Congress Committee (AICC) issued a show cause notice to party MP from Telangana, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, after a voice recording in which he allegedly sought support for his brother, who is the BJP candidate in the Munugode Assembly bypoll, has gone viral. AICC General Secretary Tariq Anwar, in the notice dated October 22, sought a reply from Venkat Reddy within 10 days as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against him as per the provisions of the party Constitution.

"Manickam Tagore, MP, in-charge Telangana, has brought to the notice of the Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) that a voice recording is being heard with you insisting on Shri Jabbar Bhai, a Congress leader to support the BJP candidate for the Munugode assembly bye-election on the 3rd November, 2022 who happens to be your sibling against the Congress candidate Palvai Sravanthi," Anwar said in the notice that was shared with the media here on Sunday. The voice recording has gone viral on social media and electronic and print media as well, said Anwar, Member Secretary of DAC, adding, "prima facie, it is an act of breach of party discipline."

The byepoll in Munugode has been necessitated as sitting Congress MLA Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy, younger brother of Venkat Reddy, had quit and joined the BJP. Venkat Reddy is the incumbent Congress Lok Sabha member from Bhongir. The constituency is set to see a three-cornered contest among ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and opposition BJP and Congress. The TRS has named Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy as its candidate while Congress party has fielded Palvai Sravanti. The bye-election is scheduled to be held on November 3 and counting of votes would be taken up on November 6.