The announcement of the Telangana Congress Election Committee has left a sour taste among a few seniors who could not find place in the important team that will lead the State in the Assembly elections due later their year.
Ponnam name missing
One of the prominent names missing from the list is former MP Ponnam Prabhakar, apart from former Minister G. Chinna Reddy and former working president J. Kusum Kumar. There are a host of others who too, are peeved at not being accommodated when the fortunes of Congress are bright in Telangana.
Mr. Prabhakar said that he did not know why he was left out of the committee, despite his constant struggle against the BRS government at the ground level as well as on other platforms. Speaking to The Hindu, he said that he wish he had found a place for his work and his role in the formation of Telangana as a Parliament member but he would not make an issue out of it.
“I respect the party and its decisions,” he said, even as his supporters are unable to digest his exclusion. No other Congress leader has been so active in the North Telangana district as he was constantly taking on the BRS. They are annoyed that new entrants into the party were rewarded.
Party sources said that Mr. Chinna Reddy was also unhappy and so is Mr. Kusum Kumar. But they were not available for comments. Some seniors also refused to speak on the exclusion saying the AICC has taken the decision and they can’t comment on it.
However, Mr. Prabhakar cancelled a meeting of the Backward Classes leaders to be held at Karimnagar. Former PCC chief V. Hanumantha Rao was supposed to address this meeting proposed to be conducted by Mr. Prabhakar himself. His supporters are planning to visit Gandhi Bhavan in big numbers on Sunday to express their displeasure.