Telangana Congress leader quits party over denial of ticket

Hyderabad, Nov 11:  Telangana Congress leader and spokesperson Palwai Sravanthi on Saturday resigned from the party, alleging that the party has been turned into commercial activity.

Srvavanthi contested as Congress candidate from Munugode constituency last year in the by-election, caused by the resignation of sitting MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, who contested as BJP candidate.

Rajagopal Reddy, who lost the bypoll to BRS candidate, returned to Congress party recently and secured the ticket from the same constituency to contest the November 30 election.

Sravanthi said she sent her resignation to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.

She wrote that she had waited for a painfully longer period, with a hope that the leaders sitting in Delhi would act on the collateral damage the party was suffering in Telangana, thanks to one person's attempts to turn it into a commercial entity.

Targeting Telangana Congress chief A. Revanth Reddy, she stated that ever since he was "imported" into the party, he had been scripting its end in spirit, nullifying the values and principles that the party stood for.

"It is highly deplorable how Rajagopal Reddy, who was responsible for Munugode by poll and who was crying foul against Revanth was overnight accepted back and was given a ticket," she said.

Sravanti has decided to join Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) She wrote to Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi that her father late Palwai Goverdhan Reddy was a stalwart Congress leader and a selfless statesman whose life was submitted, in its fullest capacity and purest form, to the party. She said the party denied her ticket in 2014, 2018 and again in 2023.

"Nine years ago, the ticket was not given to me, despite surveys showing my strong connect with the constituency and the booming trust that the people had in me. Five years ago, I was given the B form and I did not leave any stone unturned to reclaim the Congress vote bank, in spite of vested interests deceitfully plotting against me. In 2021, with least support, and taking on formidable forces whose prospects were thriving with money power and authority, I still fought the by-election," she wrote.