TELANGANA: Jeevan Reddy accuses Sridhar Babu, Adluri of political betrayal
HYDERABAD: Congress veteran and former minister T Jeevan Reddy on Tuesday accused ministers D Sridhar Babu and Adluri Laxman Kumar of “sacrificing him politically” and held them responsible for his mental distress.
Jeevan Reddy vents anger before minister Adluri
Speaking at Dharmapuri in Jagtial district, Jeevan Reddy expressed anguish in the presence of minister Adluri. He criticised the leadership for encouraging defections despite the Congress having numerical strength.
He recalled that when Jagtial MLA Dr Sanjay joined the Congress, Sridhar Babu and Adluri Laxman had mediated and persuaded him to cooperate. “Had I stood firm then, my group would have benefited,” he said. “If these ministers had not obstructed me, the situation would have been different that day, and within 24 hours I would have got the posts.”
He asserted that he was not after positions anymore and that his focus now was to protect party workers. “Are those who defected getting priority while the loyal workers are ignored?” he asked, adding that even those who have not yet formally received Congress membership were making decisions. “Those who came from BRS have ten years of exploitation behind them,” he remarked.
“We are not tenants in Congress, we are owners,” he declared, adding emotionally that if the leadership wanted to “kill us politically”, it should do it “in one stroke instead of slowly bleeding us.” He said he could not understand the party’s current ideology and urged justice for loyal workers, not “political migrants who loot like invaders.”
BRS leaders given temple committee posts
Jeevan Reddy alleged that despite his four-decade association with the Congress, genuine party workers were being sidelined, while leaders from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi were being appointed to temple committees of Beerpur Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Devasthanam. Except for the Pembatla temple, he said, all other committees were under the control of BRS leaders. He alleged that followers of former minister Koppula Eshwar had been accommodated in the Polasa Pauleshwar Swamy temple committee.
“If the party no longer wants us, it should expel us,” he said, making it clear that he would never bow to defectors. Responding, minister Adluri Laxman Kumar said he would take Jeevan Reddy’s grievances to the party leadership.
