Protests continues as Congress dissidents create havoc, attempt suicide over denial of tickets

HYDERABAD: Upset over being denied MLA tickets for the upcoming Telangana elections, Congress leaders continued to create mayhem across the State for the second consecutive day with one leader even attempting suicide.

A wave of disappointment swept across the Telangana Congress as none of the leaders from the party's frontal organisations, including the SC cell, ST cell, OBC cell, Seva Dal, NSUI and Youth Congress, found a place in the first three lists of candidates released for the upcoming Assembly elections.

Mahabubabad

On top of the list, ST cell chairman Bellaiah Naik, who was keen on contesting from Mahabubabad or some other ST reserved segment like Dornakal. He expressed concern that he was only one among the 155 people who walked all the way from Kanyakumari to Kashmir with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the Bharat Jodo Yatra. With a denial of ticket, he staged a silent sit-in protest in Gandhi Bhavan after which he was detained by the police.

Patancheru

In Patancheru, followers of K Srinivas Goud, a ticket aspirant who has the backing of former deputy Chief Minister and CWC permanent invitee Damodar Rajanarasimha, staged a protest at Gandhi Bhavan demanding the party high command withdraw candidature of Nilam Madhu Mudiraj and replace him with Srinivas Goud.

TPCC working president T Jayaprakash Reddy also reacted sharply to allegations of followers of Goud that he was behind Madhu getting ticket. “I don’t play games from behind. Damodar Rajanarasimha provoked his supporters to accuse me. This is not good for the party,” Jagga Reddy had said.

Narsapur

Gaali Anil Kumar, who was denied the ticket from Narsapur seat in the previous list, threatened to turn into a rebel candidate if he was not given the ticket by replacing Aavula Raji Reddy.

Wanaparthy

The party's decision to replace former G Chinna Reddy with T Megha Reddy for Wanaparthy seat has also angered supporters of Chinna Reddy. They threatened to resign en masse, but were convinced to stay by party leaders.

Sathupalli

Manavatha Rai, Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary, resigns from his post after not receiving the Sathupalli ticket. He threatened to contest as a rebel candidate if denied a ticket.

Boath

The Congress party's decision to replace candidate Vannela Ashok with Ade Gajender in Boath had angered Adivasis in the district. Supporters of Ashok had threatened to protest, and a tribal rights organisation, Tudumdebba, had burned an effigy of TPCC president A Revanth Reddy in protest on Tuesday.

Banswada

In Banswada, a ticket aspirant, K Balaraju, allegedly attempted suicide on Wednesday morning after the party denied him a ticket. He reportedly consumed pesticide and was immediately transferred to Banswada area hospital. Following initial treatment, he was moved to a hospital in Nizamabad when his condition worsened. Reports later indicated an improvement in his condition.

K Balaraju previously served as the Congress incharge for the Banswada constituency and had contested on behalf of the party in the past. However, for this election, the party granted the ticket to former BJP MLA E Ravinder Reddy, who had recently joined the Congress from Yellareddy constituency.

In protest against the party's decision, Balaraju had initiated a hunger strike. He shared a video on social media platforms where he warned the party leadership that he might resort to suicide.