Ponnala Lakshmaiah to announce decision after meeting KCR, wants Revanth to enlist his achievements

HYDERABAD: Former Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, who quit the Congress and is being invited by the BRS into the party fold, said on Saturday that he would declare his decision after meeting Chief Minister and BRS Chief K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) on Sunday.

“I will discuss with KCR and then will tell everyone. How can I tell you right away even without meeting the Chief Minister?” Ponnala told media after IT Minister and BRS working president KT Rama Rao met him at his residence and invited him to meet KCR.

“I don’t know how to address KTR, a friend or a fellow politician. I am happy to meet him. He invited me to meet Chief Minister, tomorrow I will meet him (KCR),” Ponnala Lakshamiah said.

Answering a question about the derogatory comments made by TPCC president A Revanth Reddy, Ponnala said that he was pained by the comments. “I don’t want to stoop down to that level, it was sad and so bad. What is his background, his achievement, and accomplishments as PCC president,” Ponnala Lakshmaiah said.

How dare Revanth spoke like that about a senior party leader, for that matter about any leader in the party, a visibly shaken Ponnala asked. He said that he did yeomen service to the region and to the party in various positions during his 45-year-long social and political life. He said that the Congress gave him a lot and it was insensitive people like Revanth damaging the party’s image.

“I want to ask Revanth who says that I have lost many elections. Under his watch, the Congress lost GHMC elections and forfeited deposits in all the by-elections in the State. Senior leaders like Jana Reddy lost elections. Wife of Uttam Kumar Reddy lost too,” Ponnala pointed out.

He wanted to know how Revanth Reddy wished to win the elections by belittling his fellow party leader. “A leader should coordinate, counsel and communicate, not behave like a dictator, he should take everyone along with him,” Ponnala said.