Within three days of the Congress party biting the dust in Telangana assembly elections, rumblings began in the party with senior Congress leaders fuming at the PCC for bungling totally in the electioneering.
Senior Congress leader and Sangareddy MLA Turpu Jayaprakash Reddy alias Jagga Reddy found fault with the party leadership for blaming it on the electoral malpractices and manipulations by Telangana Rashtra Samithi for the party’s defeat in the elections.
“The people have given their decisive mandate in favour of the TRS and its president K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Instead of making introspection as to where we went wrong in winning the confidence of the people, it is not proper for the Congress leadership to continue attacking KCR.
At least now, it is better the Congress stops criticizing KCR, since it will only harm the Congress in the long run. Let us not find excuses for our defeat,” he advised.
He also criticized the Congress for bungling in the selection of candidates.
“At least in future, let the party leadership not announce the names of candidates at the eleventh hour,” he said.
Jagga Reddy made it clear that he would not quit the Congress party but would remain a Congress MLA.
However, he said he would not play petty politics with the TRS government, but would dedicate himself to serving the people of his constituency in the next five years and refrain from speaking politics.
“You may call me a tiger or a cat. I am least bothered,” he said.
He made it clear that an MLA of Sangareddy, it was his responsibility to take up the issues plaguing the constituency with KCR and other minister.
“I will continue to meet them for my constituency works. If they respond positively, it is well and good. Otherwise, I will take necessary steps at an appropriate time" said Jagga Reddy.
On the other hand, PCC official spokesman Gajjela Kantham fumed at PCC president Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy and other top leaders for the party’s debacle in the recent elections. He accused Uttam of indulging in covert activities against the party.
Within a couple of hours, the PCC disciplinary committee took serious note of Kantham’s remarks and issued him a show cause notice demanding an explanation from him within next 24 hours.