The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Rivalry among Congress leaders to the fore

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Monday, Jun 22, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Rivalry among Congress leaders to the fore

Staff Reporter

ADILABAD: Violent clash between the Congressmen at Nirmal was the first of its kind in the history of the party in Adilabad district. It came as a culmination of the friction generated during the elections between top leaders in the district who had complained of sabotage of their electoral prospects by rival leaders.

Mutual accusations to this effect were aired freely by important leaders. If the District Congress Committee (DCC) president C. Ramchander Reddy was reported to have blamed Nirmal strongman A. Indrakaran Reddy for marring his chances, the latter reportedly alleged the DCC president siding with his rival contender in the elections.

MLC K. Premsagar Rao, whose protégé Atram Sakku won the lone seat for the party from Asifabad (ST) Assembly segment, was accused by the Indrakaran Reddy camp of funding TRS candidate at Nirmal with the intention of making him (Indrakaran Reddy) lose the elections. In turn, the supporters of the MLC accused Indrakaran Reddy camp of working against the interest of the Congress candidates at Asifabad and Bellampally (SC) seats.

The differences among these leaders, all of whom apparently aspire to lead the party in the district, came out in the open soon after the election results. The meeting in question provided them with a platform to air their grievance with the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president D. Srinivas in attendance.

The session of mutual accusations was yet to start when eager-looking workers, said to belong to the Indrakaran Reddy and Premsagar Rao groups, clashed to vent their ire on the respective rival. This gives rise to the suspicion that the 15-minute free for all was planned in advance.

Bitterness between the Congress leaders in the district has come out in the open and the situation is not likely to change in near future.

Rumours within party circles indicate towards a change in the guard in the offing.

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Andhra Pradesh