In a sudden development, the Congress party’s central leadership has replaced the Telangana PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah with former Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who is the working president of the State unit at present.
AICC President Sonia Gandhi signed the orders appointing Mr. Uttam Kumar as the next party chief. Mr. Lakshmaiah and Mr. Uttam Kumar Reddy were made the President and Working President respectively in February last on the eve of elections.
A senior TPCC functionary confirmed to The Hindu on Saturday afternoon that Mr. Uttam has been made the party chief for Telangana. Speculation was rife for the last few months that the incumbent PCC chief would be replaced. The 52-year-old new PCC chief is a former fighter pilot from Indian Air Force and represents Huzurnagar constituency.
According to sources in the State Congress, Mr. Uttam Kumar is in Delhi after summons from the high command. The outgoing PCC chief has been camping in New Delhi for the last five days trying to impress upon the party’s central leadership to continue him. Telangana Congress Legislature Party leader K. Jana Reddy too rushed to Delhi on information that there could be changes in the party.
Senior leaders reportedly told the high command that Mr. Lakshmaiah failed to inspire the cadres and was unable to take on the TRS Government effectively on various issues. “There was general disenchantment among the party cadres at the lacklustre performance of the party leadership,” a senior TPCC functionary told The Hindu.
There are indications that CLP secretary Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, could be made the working president of TPCC to repose confidence among the dalits. Talk of replacing Mr. Jana Reddy as the CLP leader is not on cards, according to party seniors, as such a move could send a wrong signal among the cadres.
