Padi Kaushik Reddy Resigns From Congress

Congress leader from Huzurabad Padi Kaushik Reddy resigned from the party today.

The leader took the decision after the party's high command issued a show cause notice to him for his alleged "anti-party activities" after an audio clip that reportedly revealed the leader's attempts to persuade TRS workers to solicit votes for him in the upcoming Huzurabad by-election went viral.

The sensational leaked clip prompted the party's disciplinary committee chairman M Kodanda Reddy to issue the show cause notice.

Speaking to the media after tendering his resignation, Kaushik Reddy claimed that he had resigned from the Congress with a heavy heart.

Talking about the recent appointment of Malkajgiri MP A Revanth Reddy to the post of TPCC head, he alleged, "I was one of the first leaders who wanted to see Revanth Reddy become the TPCC chief. But after he got the post by paying Rs 50 crore to the party's high command, I was left dissatisfied."

The disgruntled leader also mocked the TPCC chief for saying that the Congress would win the Huzurabad seat, and termed the party as "unfortunate" for being led by the latter who was "lost in a state of imagination".

He even alleged that the MP had "sold himself" to the BJP candidate for the seat, former minister Etala Rajender, and then dared the Congress to at least recover its election deposit in the by-election.

Though he predicted that the party would see a mass exodus of leaders in the next few months, Kaushik Reddy made sure to thank fellow Congressmen Rahul Gandhi and N Uttam Kumar Reddy for giving him an opportunity to serve the party.

Reacting to these remarks, Revanth Reddy termed Kaushik Reddy a "covert TRS supporter" and warned other party leaders that he would not spare any more covert supporters of ruling party.

Speaking to the media after taking part in a cycle and bullock cart rally organised to protests against hikes in fuel prices in Nirmal, the leader assured the Congress rank and file that the party would not forsake those who had worked hard for the development of the party. He then urged the party workers to devote themselves to ensuring the victory of former MLA Maheshwar Reddy in the Nirmal constituency in the next Assembly elections.

Calling upon the party's cadres to put an end to the rule of Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, he asked them to hold public agitations to oust the CM from office.

Though Kaushik Reddy resigned from the party today, even before he could announce this, the TPCC disciplinary committee had already announced that the leader had been expelled from the Congress.