n a major jolt to the Congress party ahead of the ensuing by-election to Palair Assembly seat slated for May 16, the party MLA from Khammam Puvvada Ajay Kumar quit the party and decided to switch over to the ruling TRS.
Mr. Ajay, son of senior CPI leader Puvvada Nageswara Rao and president of Mamata Educational Society, cited lack of “due recognition” for the services rendered by him to the party since the past two years.
He attributed his decision to part ways with the Congress to alleged raw deal meted out to him in the appointment of the office-bearers of the party’s State unit and “blind criticism” of the TRS government by the State Congress leaders. He is the second Congress MLA in the district to cross over to the ruling party. Yellendu MLA K. Kanakaiah joined the TRS in 2014.
Mr. Ajay joined the Congress from YSR Congress in 2013 and got elected as MLA from Khammam on Congress ticket in the 2014 general elections. The Congress is now left with just one MLA in the district. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee working president and Madhira MLA M. Bhatti Vikramarka is the sole party MLA from the district at present. Mr. Ajay’s resignation comes at a time when the Congress party is engrossed in garnering support of other Opposition parties to retain the Palair seat, the bypoll for which was caused by the death of its sitting MLA and former Minister R. Venkat Reddy last month. The Congress is currently engaged in hectic efforts to muster support of other Opposition parties to ensure the victory of its candidate R. Sucharitha, widow of Venkat Reddy, trounce TRS contestant and Minister for Roads and Buildings T. Nageswara Rao at the ensuing hustings. The YSRC and TDP have reportedly extended their support to Ms. Sucharitha.
Meanwhile, talking to mediapersons here on Sunday evening, Mr. Ajay said he had quit the Congress unable to digest lack of recognition to his services and the “arbitrary” appointment of office-bearers to the TPCC executive.
I had ensured the victory of ten municipal corporators from the party almost single-handedly in the recently held maiden election to KMC, he said, adding that the party State leadership had appointed him in the insignificant post of State executive committee member. “I have resigned from the Congress unable to bear with the blind criticism of the redesigned irrigation projects by the party State leadership and cope with its uninspiring style of functioning,” Mr Ajay said, asserting that he will join the TRS in the presence of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Hyderabad on Monday.
