The second list of candidates announced by the Congress for Telangana Assembly elections has triggered resignations and open revolt by leaders unhappy over denial of tickets.
Some of the leaders publicly broke down while others vowed to enter the fray as rebels or on the tickets of other parties to defeat the official candidates of the party.
Ever since the Central Election Committee of the party announced a second list of 45 candidates on Friday night, the party circles witnessed high drama with some aspirants failing to get the tickets breaking down before their supporters.
With the Congress fielding many defectors, this has led to dissidence among loyalists who were aspirants for tickets. Angry over the party fielding former Indian cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin from Jubilee Hills constituency in Hyderabad, former MLA P. Vishnu Vardhan Reddy announced his resignation from the Congress.
Son of former Congress Legislature Party (CLP) P. Janardhan Reddy, Vishn Vardhan Reddy was a strong contender for the ticket.
He is likely to contest as an independent or on the ticket of BJP. Congress has fielded Vishnu Vardhan’s sister Vijaya Reddy from Khairatabad but fielded Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) working president Azharuddin from Jubilee Hills.
Vishnu Vardhan Reddy’s supporters staged a protest at Congress headquarters Gandhi Bhavan over allotment of ticket to Azharuddin.
Tension prevailed at the Congress office, as they tried to barge into the office by breaking the lock to the main gate with boulders.
They raised slogans against TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy and set afire party posters and banners.
Upset over the party denying ticket to him, senior leader G. Vengal Rao resigned from the party.
He was aspiring ticket from Kukatpally but the party fielded Bandi Ramesh.
He broke down during a meeting with his supporters. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) general secretary M. Saraswathi, who was aspiring for a ticket from Asifabad constituency in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district, announced that he will resign from the party. Alleging that the party leadership has done injustice to the tribals, she vowed to work for the defeat of Shyam Naik, fielded by the party.
Saraswathi alleged that TPCC president Revanth Reddy sold the ticket to Shyam Naik. E. Venkat Ram Reddy, who failed to get a ticket for Parkal in Warangal district, has announced that he will contest as an independent.
