Stage is said to be set for the resignation of senior Congress leader and former minister T Jeevan Reddy from the party, alleging humiliation from the Congress leadership in general and chief minister A Revanth Reddy in particular.
Jeevan Reddy, who has been associated with the party for nearly four decades, has been expressing dissatisfaction over the recent political developments in Jagitial.
For quite some time, he has been expressing deep anguish over the repeated humiliation within the party.
The tensions intensified after Jagitial MLA Dr M Sanjay Kumar, who had earlier been elected on a BRS ticket, joined the Congress. Since his induction, factional differences within the party in the constituency have reportedly escalated.
The rivalry peaked during the recent municipal elections. Jeevan Reddy expressed strong displeasure after tickets were allegedly denied to leaders from his group.
In protest, he fielded his supporters as independent candidates, several of whom reportedly won the elections, a move seen as a demonstration of his political influence to the party high command.
Despite this show of strength, sources indicate that Jeevan Reddy feels he has not received adequate recognition within the party.
Consequently, he is believed to have informed his followers that he intends to quit the Congress.
On Monday, outside Jeevan Reddy’s residence in Jagitial, his supporters allegedly tore down Congress flex banners.
Party flags and banners carrying images of senior Congress leaders were removed from both outside and inside his residence. Activists reportedly replaced them with banners and posters featuring only Jeevan Reddy.
Sources say Jeevan Reddy took the decision to sever ties with the Congress after holding extensive consultations with his followers, expressing frustration that his long-standing contributions to the party had not been adequately acknowledged by the leadership.
Sources said Jeevan Reddy is likely to join the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on March 25. A massive public meeting is reportedly being planned in Jagitial on that day, where he is expected to formally don the party’s pink scarf.
Jeevan Reddy has long been regarded as a prominent Congress leader in Jagitial, having served as both MLA and MLC over his four-decade political career.
However, the arrival of Sanjay Kumar into the Congress is believed to have diminished his influence within the party, prompting his decision to exit.