Konda’s exit from TRS well scripted

MP ensured that Congress gave Assembly tickets to two candidates of his choice

The resignation of Mr Konda Vishweshwar Reddy from the TRS was well-planned, and not a sudden decision.

He was in touch with Congress leaders before the Assembly elections were announced. The Congress has allotted tickets to the candidates recommended by Mr Vishweshwar Reddy at the Chevella and Tandur Assembly segments of the MP’s Chevella Lok Sabha.

Mr Vishweshwar Reddy met Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday at Delhi along with AICC general secretary and Telangana Congress affairs incharge R.C. Khuntia.

At Tandur, the Congress nominated Mr Pilot Rohith Reddy, a close aide of Mr Vishweshwar Reddy and at Chevella former MLA K.S. Ratnam with his recommendation. The Congress high command has also assured Mr Vishweshwar Reddy of a nomination in the 2019 general election.

In 2014, the Congress had fielded Mr P. Karthik Reddy, the son of former minister Sabita Indira Reddy, from Chevella Lok Sabha constituency against Mr Vishweshwar Reddy who won by 73,000 votes.

This time, Mr Karthik

Reddy was denied the Rajendranagar Assembly ticket and had hoped that he would be nominated again from the Chevella LS seat in 2019. If the Congress fields Mr Vishweshwar from Chevella, Mr Karthik

Reddy may face disappointment once again.

TPCC sources, however, said that Mr Vishweshwar Reddy may be shifted to the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency, and Mr Karthik Reddy may be retained at Chevella. In 2014, former Union minister Sarve Satyanarayana had lost to the TD’s Ch Malla Reddy from the Malkajgiri LS seat.

Mr Satyanarayana has been fielded from the Secunderabad Cantonment Assembly constituency for the December 7 polls, and may not be given a chance to contest next year. That would create a vacancy for Mr Vishweshwar Reddy.

In fact TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao had also considered shifting Mr Vishweshwar Reddy to Malkajgiri next year. It was in this backdrop that the party fielded Mr Malla Reddy from the Medchal Assembly constituency.

After meeting with Mr Rahul Gandhi at Delhi, Mr Vishweshwar Reddy told mediapersons that he had not resigned from the TRS on personal issues.

Expressing happiness at over his meeting with Mr Gandhi, he said the people and those who took part in the statehood agitation were against the TRS. He said he would speak with Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan about his resignation from the Lok Sabha.

Mr Khuntia said that Mr Vishweshwar Reddy would join the Congress in the presence of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on November 23 at Hyderabad.