Uttam Kumar Reddy said will strive to strengthen Congress in Telangana
Hyderabad: An NDA graduate, newly-appointed Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy served as a fighter pilot in the Indian Air Force before plunging into politics two decades ago.
He had flown MIG-21 and MIG-23 aircraft in frontline fighter squadrons, and was decorated for gallantry in Siachen and other operations.
Reddy, who holds a senior commercial pilot license, had served as ADC and Comptroller to the President of India before he resigned from this prestigious permanent job at Rashtrapathi Bhavan in 1994 and joined the Congress.
A four-time MLA, the 52-year-old leader was TPCC's working president prior to this elevation.
A former housing minister in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, Reddy represents Huzurnagar constituency in Nalgonda district.
He was elected twice each from Kodad and Huzurnagar. He also headed the prestigious and high profile all party Assembly committee which dealt with the sensitive issue of locals being given priority in government jobs in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh.
Thanking the senior leadership for choosing him to head the party in Telangana, Reddy said he would offer his services to lakhs of party workers in the state tirelessly.
"I thank God for this opportunity to serve the party. I also thank AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi for choosing me for the post. I will strive to strengthen the party," Reddy said after receiving the news of his elevation on Monday.
He said he is ready to face all sorts of challenges in taking the party forward.
The committees, right from village level, would be reconstituted and youth will be encouraged in party's activities, he said.
In reply to a query, the new Telangana PCC chief alleged that the ruling TRS is trying to damage the Congress party in the state by encouraging defections.
"They are resorting to blackmailing tactics, threatening local leaders and also some MLAs of our party and forcing them to join TRS. This trend is not good," he said.
Reddy warned the TRS that the people of the state were observing the ruling party's tactics being adopted to lure the Congress leaders.
However, he expressed confidence that they would tackle the issue of defections effectively.
