Rahul Gandhi to have one-on-one meeting with dissident Congress leaders later

Hyderabad: Congress president Rahul Gandhi has reportedly accepted the request of dissident Telangana Congress leaders for individual meetings with them. The dissidents want Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Uttam Kumar Reddy and Congress Legislature Party leader K. Jana Reddy replaced.

About 25 dissident leaders, including TPCC working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, senior legislator D.K. Aruna, expelled legislator Kom-atireddy Venkat Reddy, newcomer A. Reventh Reddy, and party veteran Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy met Mr Gandhi on Wednesday in Delhi.

They were with Mr Gandhi for just three minutes during which they submitted a note seeking permission for important leaders to conduct padayatras in all 119 Assembly constituencies in the state. Mr Gandhi said that he will consider their request.

They asked Mr Gandhi to have one-on-one interaction with some important senior leaders who wanted to express their opinion on party issues. They submitted a list of 40 senior leaders. He ass-ured them that the meetings will be held soon. 

The dissident leaders want to change the TPCC president, CLP leader and AICC in-charge. 

A senior leader said, “We are all unanimous in the demand of changing three important leaders to face the coming elections. With the present team, the Congress cannot fight the TRS in the elections.”  The dissident leaders want Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy to be repla-ced by former ministers and MLAs Komatireddy Venkata Reddy or D.K. Aruna. They want CLP leader K Jana Reddy to be replaced with TPCC working president and MLA Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. The AICC in-charge R.C. Khuntia should be replaced by AICC senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad.

AICC in-charge R.C. Khuntia, however, denied any leader complaining against anyone.

Uttam: Leaders aren’t against me

AICC secretary and Telangana Congress incharge R.C. Khuntia said that it was not correct to say taht Congress leaders who met AICC president Rahul Gandhi had complained against TPCC President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.

Speaking to mediapersons at Delhi, Mr Khuntia said he was also present in the meeting, and there were no complaints. He said rumours had been floated that Congress leaders had complained against Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said the party leaders had gone to Delhi to greet Mr Gandhi on his birthday. “I don’t think they lodged complaint against me,” the TPCC chief said.

Rahul Gandhi meets all AP leaders separately

The Congress in AP will fight the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections without any alliance. This emerged after AICC president Rahul Gandhi held one-one-one meetings with AP Congress leaders APCC president N. Raghuveera Reddy, MP K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao, former Speaker Nadendla Manohar, AICC secretary Gidugu Rudra Raju among others on Wednesday.