The TPCC president while speaking to media persons said the former Minister should be ashamed to quit the party after he was made Minister twice. “Ponnala Lakshmaiah is aged over 80 years and is on his last legs. At this age, why does he want to join other party? He should withdraw his resignation unconditionally,” Revanth Reddy had said.
Published Date – 07:18 PM, Sat – 14 October 23
Hyderabad: TPCC president A Revanth Reddy’s abusive language towards former Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, who quit the party, has not gone down well with the State Congress OBC wing, which is gearing up to take up the issue with the party high command.
The former Minister had quit the Congress citing ill treatment of BC community leaders and rampant sale of tickets for contesting the ensuing elections.
The TPCC president while speaking to media persons said the former Minister should be ashamed to quit the party after he was made Minister twice. “Ponnala Lakshmaiah is aged over 80 years and is on his last legs. At this age, why does he want to join other party? He should withdraw his resignation unconditionally,” Revanth Reddy had said.
However, these comments on Ponnala, who hails from BC community, irked the OBC wing of the Congress.
“The party high command’s meeting is scheduled for today and Revanth Reddy’s abusive language towards Ponnala will be raised at the meeting. This has hurt the entire OBC wing,” Telangana Congress OBC wing leader Katti Venkat Swamy said. To quit the party was Ponnala’s personal choice. By stating that Ponnala was on his last legs, the TPCC president has demeaned the State leadership position. If shifting a party was a crime as stated by the TPCC president, he himself had joined the Congress from Telugu Desam and before that too, had humped parties multiple times. On that front, how many crimes should be accounted in his quota, Venkat Swamy asked.
Another leader from the OBC wing said the TPCC president has been favouring a particular community. Having served the party for 40 years, Ponnala had every right to seek a ticket from Jangaon but DCC president Kommuri Pratap Reddy was being backed. Pratap Reddy hails from Siddipet and he should contest against Finance Minister T Harish Rao. Why is a senior BC leader being made a scapegoat from Jangaon, another senior leader asked.
Former Minister K Jana Reddy was given free hand to contest or nominate his family member from Nagarjunasagar. Similarly, Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy was assured of a seat from Huzurnagar and for his his wife from Kodad. Even Revanth Reddy had reserved Kodangal constituency for himself. When all these leaders can be given a free hand in selecting constituencies of their choice, then why cannot Ponnala demand a ticket from Jangaon, he asked.
