Warangal: Professor Kodandaram ignores Left for Right?

Warangal: In a fast-paced political development, the six Left parties including CPI and CPM abandoned any thought of supporting Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) chief professor Kodandaram who is willing to contest for the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates Council seat and backed the candidature of B Jayasarathi Reddy. In a bid to field a consensus candidate for the Graduates Council seat to trounce the TRS and BJP, the CPM State Secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram had convened an all-party meeting in Hyderabad recently. Prof Kodandaram didn't attend the meeting but sent his envoy. It's learnt that Kodandaram was not interested in discussing the candidates until the nominations were over.

Perplexed by Kodandaram's indecision, the Left parties which met in Warangal on Saturday announced that they would support B Jayasarathi Reddy of the CPI. The meet was attended by CPM State Secretary, CPI State Secretary Chada Venkat Reddy and the representatives of the RSP, AIFB, CPSU and CPI-ML (Liberation).

Although, the Left Parties haven't done well in the recent elections, they have a significant voter base in Khammam, Nalgonda and Warangal. The only solace for Prof Kodandaram is that CPI-ML New Democracy had already announced its support to him.

Speaking to The Hans India, CPM Warangal Secretary Sarampally Vasudeva Reddy said, "The CPM tried to bring all Opposition parties under one roof to take on the TRS and the BJP candidates. Our party chief Tammineni also invited professor Kodandaram to find a common candidate, but he appeared to have other ideas."

CPI Warangal Secretary Mekala Ravi said, "We didn't understand the wait and see tactics of Prof Kodandaram. However, he seems to be leaning towards the BJP which we never accept."