hyderabad
Congress high command has convinced its Legislature Party leader Bhatti Vikramarka to culminate his ongoing padayatra with the massive meeting being planned in Khammam on July 2 being held to announce the entry of former Khammam MP, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and his followers into the party.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will participate in the Khammam meeting to acknowledge and announce the end of Mr. Bhatti’s padayatra that so far covered more than 1200 km. As per the original plans, Mr. Bhatti was to conduct a huge public meeting in Khammam district to mark the end of his ‘People’s Yatra’ that entered Khammam district on Wednesday after touching 750 villages in 15 districts and 32 constituencies.
The AICC incharge for Telangana, Manikrao Thakare along with AICC Secretary Rohit Chaudhary met Mr. Bhatti in Nayakunigudem in Khammam district and explained the high command’s plan to merge his proposed public meeting with the one being organised by Mr. Srinivas Reddy. Sources said, though a bit disappointed, Mr. Bhatti, however, agreed to merge his yatra saying he would obey the party’s high command decision without any hesitation.
Sources said the reason for merging both proposed meetings was a shortage of time, waste of resources conducting two meetings in a short span in the same district, and also non-availability of national leaders. Mr. Bhatti agreed to the suggestion but requested equal focus on his padayatra’s end at the meeting.
Mr. Srinivas Reddy also joined the meeting with Mr. Thakare and agreed to some suggestions. Mr. Reddy will join the padayatra of Mr. Bhatti on the outskirts of the city and walk along with him to the meeting place to ensure that the big show is not disturbed with both of them vying for attention at the same time.
Apart from Mr. Gandhi, the party is also trying to rope in Karnataka Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah to the meeting as it wants to be a grand show, and the beginning of its poll campaign in Telangana.
