Senior Telangana Congress leader G Niranjan objects to fielding BRS defectors, writes to Kharge

HYDERABAD: Fissures surfaced in the Telangana Congress over the fielding of defectors from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) as Congress candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Senior vice-president of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee G Niranjan has raised an objection to the fielding of the "imported candidates" suggesting that it would adversely affect the morale of the Congress cadres who have been working for the party.

This is the first voice of dissent in the Congress ever since Revanth Reddy took over the reins of the State as the Congress Chief Minister.

While the party has fielded Chevella BRS MP G Ranjith Reddy from the same constituency, it nominated Khaiaratabad BRS MLA Danam Nagender as the Congress candidate from Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat. The Congress also made BRS MLC Patnam Mahender Reddy;s wife and Vikarabad Zilla Parishad chairperson Sunitha Mahender Reddy as the party contestant from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat.

Also read: Danam Nagender quits BRS, joins Congress: More loyal to position than party

Warangal BRS MP Pasunuri Dayakar's name is doing the rounds for the Warangal seat on behalf of the Congress as he had also crossed over to the ruling party recently.

Objecting to the fielding of the "imported candidates', veteran Congress leader G Niranjan took strong exception to these choices.

Also Read: Lack of candidates forces Congress to import 4 MP candidates from BRS so far

In his letter addressed to All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mllikarjuna Kharge, the TPCC senior vice-president said that such decisions went against the spirit of victory given by the people of the State to the Congress party. This would amount to insulting the people of the State, he observed.

Niranjan said: "The people of Telangana have defeated the BRS and voted for the Congress Party to power with a wish to have a change of power in the State. But fielding D.Nagender, Sunita Reddy and Ranjit Reddy as Congress candidates is against the expectations of the people and is also an insult to the Congress cadre, (which will) demoralise them.

Also read: Three former BRS leaders among five in second Congress list for Lok Sabha polls

"We also have to consider what message it gives to the people and cadre. We request your goodself to reconsider the decision and to field committed and loyal Congressmen who stood by the party during good and bad days, in all 17 Lok Sabha constituencies.

"If we really want to have Indiramma Rajyam, we should recollect how Smt Indira Gandhi ji selected and fielded the candidates those who are sincere and honest towards the party and its leadership irrespective of their financial background."

Also Read: MP Ranjith Reddy resigns from BRS, may join Congress to contest from Chevella

However, TPCC president and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy declared that he had opened floodgates to usher in BRS leaders into the party. It is being widely reported that he had secured the nod from Congress matriarch Sonia Gandhi to have the BRS Legislature Party into the Congress Legislature Party by luring two-third of the BRS MLAs into the party in accordance with the Anti-Defection Law.

Revanth Reddy has factored in winnability and financial muscle of the candidates before fielding them. However, this became an eyesore for the original Congressmen who have been nursing the constituencies for long. This was reflected in the letter addressed by Niranjan to the party president.

How well this act of Niranjan would go down with Revanth Reddy has yet to be seen. Also, how would. the Congress high command react to this is not known, for the lists were announced officially by party general secretary K C Venugopal. This point of dfections would have been taken into account before finalising the candidates.

Vijaya Reddy's approaches High Court against Nagender

In an interesting twist, Congress candidate from Khairatabad Assembly set P Vikaya Reddy, daughter of former Minister and former CLP leader the late P Janaradhan Reddy, approached Telangana High Court alleging that Nagender used dubious means and money power to influence the electorate in the constituency. The case was taken up the court presided by Justice Vijayasen Reddy.

Advocate Sunkara Naresh Yadav, arguiong on behalf of Vijaya reddy, alleged that Nagender also did not disclose the properties owned by his wife in the nomination papers.

This is the second voice raised against the leadership's act of admitting Nagender into the party.