Cong in Palamuru faces leadership crisis post Aruna's departure

Mahbubnagar: The party hopping by the key leaders from district Congress to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi and Bharatiya Janata Party has created a huge void in the Congress party in Palamuru region.

It all started with DK Aruna, the former Congress Minister from Gadwal, who gave a big jolt to the Congress party with her shocking decision to join the BJP.

In fact, DK Aruna was a vocal leader from Palamuru region and had a strong say in the Congress party.

With her strong influence, she was also successful in securing MLA tickets for contesting the Assembly elections to her followers Shiva Kumar from Narayanpet, Dokur Pawan Kumar from Devarkadra and Pratap Reddy from Shadnagar constituencies.

It is also learnt that she had also recommended the name of Anirudh Reddy from Jadcherla constituency against Dr Mallu Ravi.

However, the high command did not oblige to her request.

While she could succeed in securing the MLA tickets to her followers, it is learnt that she had also wanted to prevail upon the Congress high command to get Nagarkurnool MP ticket to her follower, and she had also pressed the party to nominate her name for the Mahbubnagar Parliament constituency.

As it is well-known that the Congress party has two groups in Mahbubnagar, one that of Aruna's and the other of senior Congress leader Jaipal Reddy, it seems that this time the moves of Aruna were effectively countered by Jaipal Reddy in Delhi and neither DK Aruna nor her follower could succeed in getting the MP tickets from Palamuru region.

According to internal sources from the Congress party, it is learnt that Jaipal Reddy had prevailed upon high command and as per his advice, the Congress MP ticket for Mahbubnagar was given to former Kalwakurthy MLA Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy, while the Nagarkurnool MP ticket was allocated to Dr Mallu Ravi, TPCC vice-president.

Aggrieved over sudden turn of events against her choice by the Congress high command, DK Aruna gave shock to the Congress party by joining the saffron group.

Not just DK Aruna, her followers Dokur Pawan Kumar from Devarkadra had also expressed his intention to join BJP.

In addition to this, Kollapur Congress MLA Harshavardhan Reddy, also an ardent follower of Aruna had already joined the TRS party.

Another leader from Shadnagar, Pratap Reddy had also expressed his interest to leave Congress and join the TRS party.

Overall, with DK Aruna's exit all major leaders from Congress have migrated to either TRS or BJP and have created a leadership crisis in the district.

"Just before the Parliamentary elections, the creation of this kind of a huge void in the Congress is not a good for the party.

This will demoralise the party cadres and may have adverse impact in the elections.

It is high time that the party high command and the State leadership think seriously and get in regular touch with the local leaders to stop the exodus," said an ardent Congress follower from Mahbubnagar.