Khammam: The AICC’s decision to reserve Khammam for the Kamma community has helped Aitam Satyam, who got elected as the new Congress president for the district.
The Congress identified the Kamma community as the most populous in around 30 Assembly segments in Telangana and the party wanted to give priority to the caste in the new state.
As part of this plan, it reserved the Khammam DCC for the community out of the 10 districts in Telangana. Koppula Raju, chairman of All India SC and ST Cell in the Congress, played a key role in the decision and Madhira MLA Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka lobbied for Mr Satyam along with Khammam MLA Puvvada Ajay Kumar.
Mr Satyam’s appointment shocked the other two groups headed by Rajya Sabha MP Renuka Chowdary and former minister R. Venkat Reddy. Renuka tried to secure the post for P. Murali by using her clout, but failed. MLC Sudhakar Reddy, who lobbied for R. Venkat Reddy, also failed.
Palair MLA Venkat Reddy and MLC Sudhakar Reddy argued with AICC secretary R.C. Kunthiya in Gandhi Bhavan for giving the DCC post to Satyam. They allegedly said that senior leaders in the district were ignored by the party in appointments.
A Congress leader, who vied for the post, said, “Congress MLAs Bhatti and Ajay Kumar worked for Mr Satyam by keeping in touch with the AICC leaders like Koppula Raju and others.
The leaders like Renuka and Venkat Reddy failed to notice their efforts to achieve their goal.” Interestingly, AICC president Sonia Gandhi intervened in the appointment because there was no unanimity in the leaders over the post.
