Senior Congress leaders critical of TPCC negligence

Hyderabad: Several senior leaders of the Congress party are unhappy with the negligent attitude of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) towards them and are hoping for better days under new AICC interim president Sonia Gandhi.

Leaders like V Hanumantha Rao, Marri Shashidhar Reddy, M Kodanda Reddy, Ponnala Laxmaiah and others are critical of the attitude of the TPCC leadership towards them.

They are unhappy with the TPCC for not seeking their advices, not giving any role in the party activities and preventing them from meeting the high command of the party.

These leaders have been accusing that one or two members who hold key positions in the AICC headquarters for the negligent attitude of the TPCC. As these AICC key persons have not allowed them to meet former president Rahul Gandhi and other seniors, the seniors of Telangana Congress were unable to submit their resentment to the high command.

AICC secretary V Hanumantha Rao came out openly about the attitude of the key persons in AICC headquarters towards them and said that these people were acting like 'Sakunis' of high command.

He particularly accused Rahul Gandhi's office head Koppula Raju for negligence towards him. He said that Raju was behind denial of appointments of Rahul to him. He said that though he has tried to meet Rahul several times at Delhi to explain the happenings in the State Congress he has been denied the opportunity.

He also alleged that Raju in connivance with CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka denied ticket to him from Khammam Parliamentary Constituency in the previous elections.

"Though I applied for ticket from Khammam, my name was not placed in the aspirants list. One of the senior members of AICC told me recently that if his name was proposed by the TPCC, it should have been considered," VH said. He said that it was Koppula Raju who prevented former MP G Vivek from joining the Congress after leaving TRS. Though Vivek was ready to join Congress, Raju has blocked his entry.

Apart from Hanumantha Rao, Marri Shashidhar Reddy, Kodanda Reddy and Ponnala Laxmaiah were also not happy with the TPCC. Shashidhar Reddy was miffed with the TPCC for not recognising his work during the elections on the errors taken place in the voter list.

However, they have been hoping for good days for them as Sonia Gandhi has taken over the reins. These leaders feel that Sonia would listen to them and would do justice to them. Leaders like Hanumantha Rao who planned to leave the party before the appointment of Sonia Gandhi as president is now willing to continue.