Telangana Congress Leaders Rush to Jagtial to Meet T Jeevan Reddy Amid Discontent
HYDERABAD: The crisis in the Congress in Telangana has intensified after party cadres in Jagtial called an emergency meeting at the residence of senior former minister T Jeevan Reddy. He has expressed dissatisfaction with the party’s functioning.
Reddy, a six-time MLA and long-time Congress leader, has written several letters over the past 20 months outlining his grievances. His recent remarks, hinting at a possible exit, have raised concerns within the party.
A delegation led by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud, along with AICC secretary Sachin Sawant and government whip Adi Srinivas, reached Jagtial to defuse the situation. The leaders aim to pacify Reddy before he takes a final decision on his political future.
Induction of rival MLA sparks discontent
The induction of Dr M Sanjay Kumar, a Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLA, triggered the rift. He had defeated Reddy in the 2023 Assembly elections and joined the Congress in June 2024.
Reddy said the party did not consult him before admitting his political rival. He also criticised the growing influence of “turncoats” over long-time party workers.
Aide’s murder adds to tensions
Tensions escalated in October 2024 after unidentified persons murdered Maru Ganga Reddy, a close aide of Jeevan Reddy, in Jagtial. The senior leader blamed followers of the newly inducted MLA for the killing.
He questioned how Congress workers could face attacks under a Congress-led government. He also criticised the leadership for failing to protect grassroots workers.
Allegations of sidelining
Reddy alleged that the party sidelined him in his own constituency. He said the leadership denied party tickets to his supporters during local body and municipal processes. Instead, it favoured leaders who had recently joined the party.
He also claimed that the newly inducted MLA interfered in party affairs. According to him, this reduced his role in the constituency.
Despite his long association with the Congress, Reddy said the current leadership has ignored him. He described the past 20 months as a period of “humiliation and isolation”.
