Purushottam dares Lagadapati to contest from Ramannapet

Purushottam dares Lagadapati to contest from Ramannapet

V. Purushottam Reddy

HYDERABAD: Differences within the Congress rank and file over separate Telangana issue appear to be reaching a flashpoint.

While a section of the Congressmen are criticising seniors for ‘harming’ the party’s prospects by publicly criticising the party leadership, the seniors are sticking to their guns that the party will have to face ‘disastrous consequences’ if it did not clearly spell out its stand on Telangana.

Offers to resign


Telangana Regional Development Board chairman and party MLA V. Purushottam Reddy went a step ahead in claiming that he would put in his papers the moment the party leadership indicates its stand against separate Telangana at the proposed meeting in New Delhi on January 28.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. Purushottam Reddy dared Vijayawada MP Lagadapati Rajagopal to contest from his constituency Ramannapet on the slogan of united Andhra Pradesh.

“We will treat this as a referendum on Telangana. Let him contest on the united State slogan and I will bank on the prevailing sentiment among the people,” Mr. Purushottam Reddy said adding he was prepared to resign tomorrow if Mr. Rajagopal accepted his challenge.

Regional divide


Accepting the gauntlet, Mr. Rajagopal said he was prepared to contest from any constituency if the party high command directed him to do so. He lashed out at his detractors by saying that ‘some unemployed leaders’ of the party were trying to fuel the regional divide in the name of ‘Telangana sentiment.’

Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Nalgonda K. Venkat Reddy advised Mr. Purushottam Reddy and other seniors ‘who were on the verge of retirement’ not to create confusion among the party cadre . In the same breath, he criticised Mr. Rajagopal and recalled that the Vijayawada MP maintained silence on issues like four-laning of Hyderabad-Vijayawada NH.

courtesy: Hindu