Efforts by the Congress’ Central leadership has ensured that the flight of MLAs to the TRS is halted, at least for the time being.
Telangana Congress leaders have reportedly become cautious after the TRS decided to go it alone in the elections. The leadership has managed to stop Patancheru MLA Nandishwar Goud from shifting to the TRS.
Mr. Goud had called on TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao at his farmhouse last week but dropped plans to quit the party after intervention by the aides of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, on Monday. He called on Telangana PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah and conveyed his decision against joining the TRS. After a meeting with the party chief, he told reporters that it was a fact that he was facing problems from certain sections in the Congress. “I wanted to quit the Congress because of certain problems,” he said. But after Mr. Gandhi intervened, Mr. Goud asserted he would not leave the Congress. He wanted a BC leader to be made the Chief Minister of Telangana. Sources said he was not getting along with Medak DCC president Bhupal Reddy. Former Deputy Chief Minister C. Damodar Rajanarasimha is said to have pacified Mr. Goud against taking the extreme step.
Earlier, Shadnagar MLA C. Pratap Reddy dismissed reports that he had met TRS leaders and was contemplating joining the TRS. He said he would continue to be part of the Congress. “Some persons are spreading canards against me that I was joining the TRS,” he told The Hindu .
In a related development, TDP MLA from Nerella Suddala Devaiah met the TPCC chief triggering speculation that he may cross over to the Congress. But, the party is unlikely to give any assurance as it is understood to have zeroed in on chairman of JAC of people’s organisation Gajjala Kantham. Chairman of the TPCC campaign committee Mr. Rajanarasimha and co-chairman Mohd. Ali Shabbir interacted with Mr. Lakshmaiah to discuss the strategy for the coming elections.
Medak Staff Reporter adds: Mr. Goud charged Mr. Bhoopal Reddy with removing his name from the list of candidates and marking his own name for the Patancheru constituency.
