Telangana: Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy resigns from Congress, likely to join BJP

"I have not done justice to my MLA position," said Reddy.

Hyderabad: Congress MLA from Munugode constituency Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy on Tuesday announced his resignation to the party and the state assembly. He is likely to soon join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“BJP will come to power in the centre for the third year in a row,” he said. “I previously said that if it means that the people of Munugodu actually get help, if they receive support from the state government, I will quit from my position to make way for the TRS candidate’s victory.”

“I am unhappy. The people who voted for me are unhappy. Is Munugodu not in Telangana? I have achieved nothing in the last three years as the MLA. Who is this post for? I have tried my best to bring our issues to light, but has the state government heard us?” he expressed.

MS Education Academy

“Roads here are terrible. The roads around the chief minister’s farmhouse and those in Rajanna Sircilla and Siddipet are perfect. But the roads from Choutuppal to Nalgonda are full of potholes. I struggled a lot for Ghattuppal’s Mandal status, and now that the issue of my resignation came up, suddenly it was done.”

He spoke up about his displeasure with the Congress party. “Being staunch Congress members, we are having to serve under those with no history in the party. It is insulting to work under those who are in no way affiliated with the party, its history and those who have lost MLA, MP elections 4-5 times. I still have no animosity with the party. I have respect for Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. But Telangana Congress has no self-worth.”

“Should all the Congress workers fight to make an outsider the chief minister?” he asked, referring to ex-TDP leader Revanth Reddy.

In the weeks leading up to the MLA’s resignation, he met with senior leaders of the BJP. He also publicly made statements about the BJP coming to power and expressed that forming a people’s government would begin from Munugodu.

The party’s central leadership took note of the MLA’s pro-BJP remarks but avoided taking any substantial action.

But the Telangana Congress’ patience wore thin, as CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka recently revealed that the party gave Rajagopal Reddy an ultimatum to make up his mind within two days, or he would be suspended from the party.

Speaking on Tuesday, Rajagopal said, “They’re saying that the Congress will take action against me. But what will they do it for? I have dedicated my life to the Congress party. I fought for the party, but they made a man who has been against the party all his life to be the Telangana Congress president (Referring to A Revanth Reddy).”

Rajagopal Reddy unleashed a volley of complaints against the ruling TRS government. He charged that the government only cared about development and progress during election times, and that they had left all of their election promises unfulfilled.

“Dalit Bandhu is not financially feasible, neither are many of the schemes brought to life only for the elections. All the struggle during the Telangana bifurcation only has led to the profit of KCR’s family. The only way towards development is to change parties,” he said.

Rajagopal Reddy, who is the brother of Telangana Congress star campaigner Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, previously stated that he had no issues with TPCC chief Revanth Reddy.

Asked if Venkat Reddy will also follow suit, Rajagopal was quick to reply with, “Why don’t you ask him?” He said that the Komatireddy brothers only worked and answered to the people. “If my driving force was money, I would have quit a long time ago. Instead of bearing all the insults I frequently debated if I should just resign.”

The last big blow for parties in Telangana was when then TRS leader Eatala Rajender shifted loyalties and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Rajender went on to win the Huzurabad by-elections.

The Congress party was caught unaware by Rajagopal’s decision and is considering the names of candidates for Munugodu in the upcoming October by-elections.

While Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) is considering Palvai Sravanti and Raghuveer Reddy, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is considering former MLA Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy, former MLCs Neeti Vidyasagar and Karne Prabhakar to contest in Munugodu.

Reacting to Rajagopal Reddy’s resignation, Bharatiya Janata Party state senior leader Gudur Narayana Reddy on Tuesday stated that Congress MLA from Munugodu Assembly Constituency Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy’s resignation to his seat and to Congress was imminent and inevitable.

Narayana Reddy said that Rajagopal would join the Bharatiya Janata Party to strengthen the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He welcomed the resignation of Rajagopal Reddy and said that it was a long awaited event. “Rajagopal Reddy was planning to resign to Congress and to join BJP for the past three years. He has taken the ultimate decision to resign to the Grand Old Party as the time has arrived,” Narayana Reddy said.

The BJP leader said that resignation of Rajagopal Reddy to Congress would lead to political realignment of politics in the state albeit much in favour of BJP. He said that those who are yet to make up their mind on joining the BJP would firm up their opinions and come to BJP’s fold.

He said that the Congress is losing its base in the country as the mother, son and daughter, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, have failed to rejuvenate the ailing Grand Old Party. He said that dynasty politics would not work anymore in the country.

“People will not accept the fourth generation leaders from one family and the pitiful status of Congress has been reflecting this fact. Congress can no more depend on the credit of bringing independence to the country. The party has to reinvent itself,” he said.

Narayana Reddy said that the people of the country, particularly the people of Telangana have been reposing a lot of faith in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

He said that day by day the BJP is making deep inroads into the state and taking each and every village and town by storm. He said that the Munugodu by-poll would be a repeat of Huzurabad show. It would lead all the other Assembly constituencies to come to the fold of the BJP.

Back to top button