Worried over party’s prospects in the wake of presence of as many as 60 rebels in the fray in Telangana, the Congress leadership has drafted Union Minister Jairam Ramesh and AICC SC cell chairman K. Raju to pacify the disgruntled partymen and ensure they withdraw from the race.
“There is potential of at least 25 leaders spoiling the chances of official candidates, if they are not persuaded to withdraw their papers by April 12,” a top Telangana PCC leader told The Hindu on Thursday night. Mr. Ramesh, soon after his arrival on Wednesday night, was closeted with a few rebel candidates urging them to withdraw from the race.
TPCC sources said Mr. Ramesh and Mr. Raju are determined to make most of the rebels retire. “AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh and Ahmed Patel are in constant touch with the two leaders enquiring about the rebel trouble. Rebels such as P. Sashidhar Reddy, contesting against Vijayashanti in Medak and senior Congress leader C. Ramachandra Reddy in Adilabad have been summoned for a meeting,” TPCC sources said.
Party sources said Mr. Ramesh held consultations with Warangal DCC president Donthi Madhava Reddy, who is in the fray as rebel from Narsampet constituency. The seat was first allotted to him but given later to TJAC leader Kathi Venkataswamy, much to the chagrin of local leaders. Union Minister P. Balram Naik too met Mr. Ramesh to drum up support for Mr. Madhava Reddy. He said that Mr. Venkataswamy was a non-entity in Narsampet. “The party is knowingly giving up the seat to the rival party by fielding unknown face,” Mr. Naik lamented.
He also complained that allotting Pinapaka seat to CPI was another blunder as the sitting MLA Rega Kantha Rao had good chances of winning. “With two mistakes, how can the party win the seats,” Mr. Naik questioned.
Mr. Ramesh, sources said, explained that once B-form is given, it was difficult to change the candidates. Mr. Madhava Reddy is said to have declined to withdraw from the race.
