Hyderabad: Unfazed after being trounced in the recent Assembly elections, Congress leaders are still quarrelling for positions. On offer are the posts of leader of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) and the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) presidency.
According to sources, the battle has reached the high command in New Delhi.
TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and senior leaders Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy and Mallu Bhatti Vikra-marka are trying for the Congress Legislature Party leader’s post.
Mr Rajagopal Reddy went to Delhi on Thursday and it is said that he is lobbying for both posts with the hope of landing one. There is a demand for change in the TPCC leadership after the poll debacle, and Mr Rajagopal Reddy sees an opening there.
The high command appears to be standing by Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy for now.
Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy has completed more than four years as PCC chief, it is said that he is also eyeing the CLP post. If the AICC continues with Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy as PCC president, it will affect Mr Rajagopal Reddy’s chances of becoming CLP leader as both belong to the same community.
This would work to the advantage to Mr Mallu Bhatti, who belongs to the SC community. It appears likely that he will walk away with one of the two posts.
Out of the 19 Congress MLAs, six belong to Khammam and there
are seven legislators from the SC and ST communities. These factors appear to work for Mr Mallu Bhatti.
Senior leaders like Ms Sabita Indra Reddy, Mr D. Sridhar Babu and Mr T. Jayaprakash Reddy alias Jagga Reddy seem to be out of the race as there are cases registered against them. A few Congress MLAs are stepping into the Assembly for the first time and are out of the race.
