Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, June 16
Days after 12 Telangana Congress MLAs joined the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), another Congress MLA and MP have expressed unhappiness over the state of affairs in the party.
Sources in the TRS, however, said that not one but at least two MLAs were in touch with the ruling party leadership and had expressed their desire to work closely with them in the “interest of developing their constituencies.”
“The Congress party had no future in Telangana,” said Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, Congress MLA from Munugode constituency, while speaking to the media.
Rajgopal is the younger of the Komatireddy brothers— the elder brother— Venkat Reddy is the Congress Lok Sabha MP from Bhongir.
The statement has led to speculation that the Komatireddy brothers alongside some other Congress leaders may follow the 12 MLAs who had broken away from the Congress to join the TRS. The exodus had reduced the strength of the Congress from 19 after the December state assembly elections to a mere six.
The Komatireddy brothers have, however, indicated that they may not follow the Congress MLAs to the TRS as they think it is the BJP that will perform “exceedingly well” in the next state and parliamentary elections.
Rajgopal Reddy has been quoted as saying: “It seems like it is the BJP that is very likely to return to power even in the 2024 elections and there is no future for Congress in the state (Telanagna)”.
Interestingly, the newly inducted Minister of State for Home Affairs and BJP MP from Secunderabad, G Kishan Reddy had recently said: “Our party is ready to welcome youth and leaders from various streams in the state. Rajgopal Reddy was only reflecting the opinion of the people in the state.”
In his address to the media, Reddy also said, "The Congress is in a difficult position, not only in Telangana, but the whole of India. The country will progress under BJP. The youth are with BJP. The party is the alternative to counter KCR (Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao). "
If Rajagopal Reddy quits the Congress, the party would be left with five MLAs, two less than the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), which has seven MLAs in the Telangana Assembly. BJP currently has only one MLA in the House but has been claiming it will form the next government in the state.