Warangal: Congress tears into Gandra for betrayal

Hanumakonda: Warangal District Congress Committee (DCC) president Naini Rajender Reddy on Saturday launched a broadside against the Bhupalpally MLA Gandra Venkatramana Reddy, calling him a betrayer who shifted loyalties to the ruling TRS after winning election on Congress ticket. This was in retort to Gandra's outburst against the TPCC president A Revanth Reddy at a press meet in Hyderabad on Friday.

Speaking to media persons, Rajender Reddy said that Gandra Venkatramana Reddy had no moral right to criticise Revanth Reddy. "Gandra who won on Congress ticket in 2018 crossed over to TRS to expand his business empire and for securing Zilla Parishad chairperson post to his wife Jyothy," Naini said. At the moment, the Congress is down but not out, he asserted, attributing the Congress present situation to the backstabbing of leaders like Gandra.

TRS leaders who came to power by taking advantage of the statehood movement had no moral right to criticise the Congress which bifurcated Andhra Pradesh to form separate Telangana. TRS leaders should understand that KCR also emerged as a leader from the Congress, Rajender Reddy.

The DCC chief accused Gandra of indulging in illegal sand mining, adulterated petrol and teakwood smuggling etc. The Congress leaders are ready to prove the illegal operations of Gandra, he said, daring him to fix time and date for a debate. He further dared Gandra to quit politics if the Congress proved the accusations against him. He asked Gandra to apologise to Revanth Reddy for his outburst.

Earlier, the Congress leaders paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on the occasion of their birth anniversary.

Former Mayor Errabelli Swarna, senior leaders Ayodhya Reddy, Namindla Srinivas, Dommati Sambaiah, Ravali, Meesala Prakash and Dr Puli Anil Kumar were among others present.