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Uttam in, Ponnala out
The Congress high command, which has been contemplating to revamp the crisis-ridden Telangana Congress Committee, on Saturday replaced TPCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah with former minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, working president of the State unit at present. The Hans India had reported on January 2 that Ponnala would be replaced by the end of February.
Hyderabad: The Congress high command, which has been contemplating to revamp the crisis-ridden Telangana Congress Committee, on Saturday replaced TPCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah with former minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, working president of the State unit at present. The Hans India had reported on January 2 that Ponnala would be replaced by the end of February.
AICC president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday signed the orders appointing Uttam Kumar Reddy as the next party chief. Pulling the curtains down on the speculations, Uttam Kumar Reddy confirmed his appointment on Saturday evening. Ponnala and Uttam Kumar Reddy were made the president and working president, respectively, in February last on the eve of elections.
The 52-year-old new PCC chief is a former fighter pilot from the Indian Air Force and represents the Huzurnagar constituency. AICC general secretary and party in-charge Digvijay Singh informed Uttam about the party high command’s decision to elevate him as the TPCC chief.
Ponnala has been facing strong opposition from within the party over his failure to stop partymen switching loyalties to the TRS. The recent ‘Chalo Raj Bahvan’ programme conducted by the TPCC chief against the TRS government’s decision to shift the Secretariat to Chest Hospital received strong criticism from the Congress leaders as Ponnala failed to take all leaders into confidence before organising the programme.
They even told the high command that Ponnala did not invite many of them for the programme. This led to widening of the rift between Ponnala and other senior leaders mostly from the Reddy community in the party. The change comes at a time when Ponnala has been camping in Delhi for the past four days lobbying for MLC seat under MLA quota. The seat would fall vacant following the retirement of D Srinivas.
Meanwhile, it is being said that the AICC would soon effect change in the leadership of the Congress Legislature Party as well. This speculation has gained ground as the high command has summoned present CLP leader K Jana Reddy to New Delhi. According to sources, former deputy speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka is said to be the front runner for the post of working president.
