‘Not at anyone’s mercy…’: Rajgopal Reddy takes swipe at Congress seniors

Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader and Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy on Sunday, 13 April, expressed his disappointment over being excluded from the Telangana cabinet. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of the Choutuppal Agricultural Market Committee, Reddy questioned the Congress leadership’s decision and reminded them of his contributions to the party’s electoral success.

Reddy stated that he would act responsibly if given a ministerial role and criticised senior party leader Jana Reddy for allegedly sidelining deserving candidates. Drawing an analogy from the Mahabharata, he remarked, “Jana Reddy, who should have been like Yudhishthira, is now behaving like Dhritarashtra. It pains me a lot.”

The Munugode MLA also revealed that the party high command had promised him a cabinet position if he helped secure a win for Congress in the Bhongir parliamentary constituency. “When Yusuf and Irfan Pathan are two cricketers from the same house, what’s the problem in having two ministers from the same house?” he asked, referencing the Reddy family’s political legacy.

It may be recalled that Jana Reddy recently wrote to the Congress high command, urging the inclusion of MLAs from the Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts during the cabinet expansion. This move has reportedly upset Rajgopal Reddy, who viewed it as an attempt to block his inclusion.

Highlighting his key role during the Lok Sabha campaign, Reddy pointed out that while ministers were appointed as in charge of various constituencies, he was the only MLA given charge of Bhongir, a reflection of the party’s trust in him. “Where did those in-charge ministers go when the Congress lost in Mahabubnagar, Malkajgiri, Adilabad, Secunderabad, Medak and Karimnagar?” he asked, questioning the logic behind current cabinet selections.

“Where did the incharge ministers vanish?” he asked.

“Why is Jana Reddy, who was a minister for 30 years, suddenly exhibiting his fondness for Hyderabad and Rangareddy leaders?” Rajgopal Reddy asked, adding that he was not at the mercy of any leader to get a berth in the cabinet.