Khammam: Sitting MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy on Sunday reiterated that he would not leave the TRS though he was denied a ticket to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by the party high command. After thousands of his supporters showed up at his residence to urge him to contest the elections as an Independent candidate, he issued a statement, saying: “I will sail with KCR and try to strengthen the TRS in the district. KCR will honour every party worker who worked with commitment.”
Mr Reddy was overwhelmed with emotion as supporters broke down when he hugged them and raised slogans in his favour. They also staged dharna outside his house to pressurise him to contest the elections. They said that it was unjust that a sincere leader like him was not given a party ticket.
TRS leaders Matta Dayanand, Lingala Kamaraj, Akula Murthy, Janardhan Reddy and Thellam Venkat Rao also visited him and expressed their disappointment over the party leadership denying him ticket. Mr Dayanand said, “What happened with me in Sattupalli is happening with Mr Reddy over Khammam seat.”
When media persons confronted Mr Reddy about his stand, he appealed to them to not pressurize him to comment. However, when TRS candidate for Khammam Lok Sabha constituency Nama Nageswara Rao expressed his wish to meet him, Mr Reddy rejected the proposal.
