Congress Leader Abid Rasool Khan Quits Party

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee Vice-President Abid Rasool Khan has resigned from the party post and the primary membership of the party for "injustice" caused to the Muslims in the allotment of party tickets for the December 7 Assembly elections, and for the "corrupt practices" of AICC general secretary and in-charge of Telangana party affairs R C Kuntia.

In a letter addressed to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, a copy of which was released to the media on Friday, Khan stated that he was resigning from the party with a heavy heart as he was deeply hurt with the appointment of Shaik Abdullah Sohail, "a person with a shady background", as Chairman of the party's minority department.

He also stated that two working presidents had been appointed from the Reddy community, and one each from the BC, SC and Kamma communities, but none from the Muslim community which was 15% to 18% of the population and whose votes were needed for victory in the elections.

He also stated that land grabbers, criminals and paratroopers from other parties were being given prominence over genuine and loyal workers, in the distribution of party tickets.

Khan also reminded the Congress supremo that he had faced threats to his life while protecting the ideology and stand of the Congress as its spokesperson / media panelist, and also that he had been arrested while protesting against the killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, and claimed that his contributions had gone unrecognized.