Telangana Congress Chief Diffuses Possible Revolt By MPs

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Ponnala Lakshmaiah on Sunday diffused a possible revolt against him by Congress MPs by convening a meeting with them.

Originally, the meeting of MPs and former MPs was convened by Rajya Sabha MP V Hanumantha Rao at the Madina Education Centre. However, Ponnala convinced him to hold at the meeting at Gandhi Bhavan.

He reportedly told VHR that an MPs' meeting at a private location would send a wrong message among the people.

He personally called all the MPs and also the candidates who lost the recent Lok Sabha elections. His efforts bore fruit, and MPs including Sukhender Reddy, Nandi Yellaiah, VHR, MA Khan and R Anand Bhaskar participated in the meeting.

CLP leaders K Jana Reddy and D Srinivas also attended the meeting.

According to sources, the MPs minced no words in expressing their displeasure with the style of the TPCC's functioning.

Rajya Sabha MP Palwai Govardhan reportedly entered into an argument with Ponnala while holding him directly responsible for the Party's defeat in the recent general elections. However, both were pacified by Jana Reddy.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Ponnala claimed there were no differences within the Congress leaders, and the MPs' grievances over their non-representation in the TPCC Coordination Committee would be addressed.

He informed that the Coordination Committee would meet on November 23 in the presence of AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh and Secretary R C Kuntaiah. Later, a meeting would also be held with the party MPs.

The State Minorities Convention would be held in the evening, and would be attended by 30 delegates from each district. A preparatory meeting would also be held on November 13 at Gandhi Bhavan, he said.

Ponnala added that the TPCC now aimed to win the GHMC and the Warangal and Khammam municipal corporation elections, and that the Party would be strengthened from the division level. Further, an intensive membership drive would be taken up from November 14 to 19th, and the birthday celebrations of Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi would be held in a grand way across the State. (INN)