Row over Congress MP’s remark on party’s chances in Telangana bypoll
Ahead of the polling, the Congress MP, representing Bhuvanagiri parliamentary constituency, which covers Munugode assembly constituency as well, flew to Melbourne in Australia along with his family on a holiday.
Hyderabad: Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, Congress parliamentarian from Bhuvanagiri in Telangana, created a flutter on Saturday, saying that his party was fighting a losing battle in the bypoll to Munugode assembly seat in Nalgonda district, scheduled to be held on November 3.
Venkat Reddy, who was appointed as the star campaigner by the Congress high command, has been staying away from the electioneering, where his younger brother, Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, is contesting on Bharatiya Janata Party ticket.
Ahead of the polling, the Congress MP, representing Bhuvanagiri parliamentary constituency, which covers Munugode assembly constituency as well, flew to Melbourne in Australia along with his family on a holiday.
A video of Venkat Reddy speaking to some Telangana NRIs at the Melbourne airport went viral on social media on Saturday. In the video, the MP was seen telling them that the Congress had no chance of winning the by-election in Munugode.
“There is no point in campaigning for a losing party. Even if I campaign there, the Congress won’t get even 10,000 votes,” he said.
The Congress was fighting with two major ruling parties – the BJP at the Centre and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi in the state, which were spending huge money on the bypolls, he said. “The Congress cannot compete with them in money power,” he said. “Who is going to fund it?”
Stating that he won’t be able to tell voters in Munugode to defeat his brother, the MP said the BJP would win the by-election.
Venkat Reddy left for Australia on Friday, hours after an audio clip of his phone conversation with a Congress leader in Munugode surfaced on social media. In the audio, which could not be authenticated by HT, he was heard asking the party leader to vote for his brother, who had done a lot of good work for the constituency.
“Forget the party Rajagopal Reddy belongs to. He has done a lot of help to the poor people and other sections. You and your people should vote for him and see that he is elected,” Venkat Reddy said.
No harm would be done for the Congress even if Rajagopal Reddy wins the by-election, he said. “After this, I will become the PCC (pradesh Congress committee) chief. I will tour the entire state and take up padayatra (foot marches) and bring the Congress to power. You are not going to lose anything. We shall take care of your interests,” Venkat Reddy was heard saying.
Endorsing his comment in the video clip that surfaced in Melbourne, the MP said it was true he wanted to undertake a foot march in Telangana if he was made the PCC chief. “But there are various groups within the party. I don’t think I would get that opportunity,” he said.
Reacting to Venkat Reddy’s comments on the audio and video clips, Rajagopal Reddy said there was nothing wrong in his brother’s observations. “Not just my elder brother, many other Congress leaders called me and wished me success. Even during the by-election to the Huzurabad assembly seat in November 2021, I said BJP candidate Eatala Rajender would win because it was the reality,” he said.
Palwai Sravanthi, Congress candidate from Munugode, expressed regret over Venkat Reddy’s comments. “It was only a couple of days ago that he blessed me and wished me all the best. He even accepted my request to campaign for me in the by-elections. But he betrayed my faith,” she said.
PCC president A Revanth Reddy, without naming Venkat Reddy, said a big conspiracy was being hatched by some leaders to see the party was defeated in the Munugode by-elections. “I am being cornered. Plots are being hatched to ensure the party’s defeat and dethrone me from the PCC president’s post,” Revanth Reddy said.
The ruling TRS described the entire episode as a big drama. “Elder brother is in the Congress, but he asks the people to vote for the younger brother who is in the BJP. What kind of politics is this? Both have been enjoying posts and positions for the last several years, but have done nothing for the state,” TRS leader and state finance minister T Harish Rao said.
