Hyderabad: Former cricketer and Congress leader Mohd Azharuddin’s comments that he would contest from the Secunderabad Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 elections has created a ruckus in the party meeting held in Gandhi Bhavan on Monday. Congress leaders from Secunderabad raised slogans against Mr Azharuddin and dared him to contest from Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat “if he had the guts”. They objected to Mr Azharuddin declaring a ticket for himself from Secunderabad.
Local Congress leaders and activists from Secunderabad disrupted a meeting which was attended by AICC secretary TS incharge Bose Raju, TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior leaders V. Hanumantha Rao and Sarve Satyanarayana. The meeting was being held to discuss strengthening the party for the upcoming Assembly elections. Mr Reddy and Mr Satyanarayana tried to pacify the agitating activisits but in vain.
They told the activists that the Congress high command had not taken any decision on giving tickets to anyone and the comments made by Mr Azharuddin on the issue were his personal views and party had nothing to do with it. Upset over ruckus, Mr Hanumantha Rao left the meeting abruptly. It was only after repeated requests that ordered returned. Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said, “It's not proper to react in this manner and create trouble for the party on someone's personal views. It's the Congress high command which will decide on whom to give tickets. We should wait till then.” He said nominees had not been finalised for any constituency.
