Meet with Amit Shah: Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy 'adds to twist

HYDERABAD: Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, MLA from Munugode, more importantly the biggest thorn in the flesh for the Congress party in Telangana, has once again deepened the mystery surrounding his future in the grand-old party. His recent meeting with BJP top leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi sparked rumours that he was all set to desert the Congress and join the saffron party very soon.

In the wake of the nerve-wracking speculation, the younger of the two Komatireddy brothers, held a press conference at his Jubilee Hills residence to clear the air. But to everyone's surprise, he came up with statements and cryptic comments that seemed to add more to the ongoing confusion. At the end of the press meet, it was not just the media but even the Congress leadership in Telangana that must have been grappling with Rajagopal Reddy's comments, unable to get a hold of what's exactly on his mind.

First, he minced no words in acknowledging that he had indeed met Amit Shah in Delhi. He countered the media as to what was wrong with it. In the same breath, he had everyone in knots when he said that he was neither quitting the Congress nor joining the BJP.

Rajagopal Reddy sought to brush aside the media blitz on his imminent resignation to the Congress as a 'mere negative campaign unleashed by KCR and his media'. He devoted most of his time castigating the KCR rule in Telangana and how it needed to be reversed. But a couple of curious points he made clearly suggested that he was only trying to reveal, more than he would conceal.

"If at all I want to leave the party, I will take the decision after consulting with my people in Munugode and Bhoangir. I will also tender my apologies to Rahulji and Soniaji for my decision and tell them that I would have to a wage a battle against KCR in Telangana," was his significant response on the question. Many feel that this was more than a hint that was cleverly camouflaged in the rhetoric.

Also, in a veiled attack on TPCC president Revanth Reddy, he said that he was not prepared to be lectured by those who had spent time in prison for doing nefarious activities. "Do I really have to work under the leadership of such people?" he asked. His reference to Revanth Reddy and the 'cash-for-vote' scandal more than signifies the uneasiness being felt by both the Komati brothers in the Congress.

In a nutshell, Rajagopal Reddy's press meet was expected to clear the air. But, by the end, he ruled out nothing. And on the contrary, he only added more spice to the speculation, increasing the headache for the Congress party leadership.