Sack me, Danam dares Ponnala

Hyderabad: War of words broke out in the Greater Hyderabad Congress with former minister Danam Nagender taking on TPCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah by accusing him of promoting groupism in the Congress party. Speaking to media here on Thursday, Danam said that he was left out of being a part of a delegation, led by former MLA Marri Sashidhar Reddy, which called on Governor ESL Narasimhan over land regularisation issue.

Despite being the president of Greater Hyderabad Congress, he was not consulted on many issues and kept him in the dark about plans to meet the Governor, alleged Nagender. Attributing the visit by Sashidhar Reddy to the groupism being encouraged by the TPCC president, Danam said that if Ponnala does not like him, he could remove him from the post. “I will not tolerate any insult,” he said.

It was surprising to see Sashidhar Reddy, who was never involved in any party matters so far, become active in view of by-elections for the Sanathnagar Assembly constituency, he said. Stating that he would remain a loyal Congress worker, Danam Nagender attacked Ponnala for attending a protest organised by former MLA P Vishnuavardhan Reddy against shifting of the Chest Hospital from Erragadda.

Responding to the allegations of Danam, Shashidhar Reddy said Nagender was not available when he made a telephone call to him to join the delegation to meet the Governor. Taking potshots at Nagender, Shashidhar said that he kept quiet even after media reported Nagender’s alleged role in collection of bribes for providing house sites.

Nagender reacted to this observation of Shashidhar. “Wherever Shashidhar Reddy is involved, it will be a disaster,” alluding to his stint as vice-chairman of National Disaster Management Authority. Meanwhile, in a press release, TPCC spokesperson Niranjan faulted Nagender for making an issue out of the representation made to Governor on an issue of public interest.