Civic polls: TG Cong in a bind over contested, turncoat MLAs

Hyderabad: Former Minister and senior Congress leader T Jeevan Reddy’s strong protest over the presence of Jagtial BRS MLA M Sanjay Kumar at a Congress review meeting has sparked intense debate within the Telangana Congress cadre, raising questions over the party’s strategy in constituencies affected by defections.

Jeevan Reddy staged a walkout from the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency review meeting held at Gandhi Bhavan on Wednesday, which was convened to review preparations for the upcoming municipal elections. His protest was triggered by the participation of BRS MLA Sanjay Kumar in the meeting, a move that reportedly raised eyebrows among several Congress leaders.

Later, Jeevan Reddy expressed strong displeasure, questioning how a Congress review meeting could be conducted while allowing a BRS legislator to attend. While asserting that the Congress would win the municipal elections “100 per cent,” he said senior leaders, who had fought against the BRS were being humiliated by such actions.

“Congress means everything to me. The party has honoured me for the last four decades. But I strongly oppose any programme that undermines the dignity of the Congress and the Constitution,” Jeevan Reddy said.

He added that lakhs of Congress workers shared similar sentiments, recalling the hardships and alleged atrocities they faced during the BRS’s decade-long rule. “Power is not important; protecting constitutional values is more important,” he remarked.

The episode has highlighted growing tensions between Congress leaders, who contested elections on the party ticket and BRS MLAs, who later defected to the Congress, particularly in nearly 10 constituencies, ahead of the municipal polls.

According to party sources, anticipating such challenges in Assembly segments affected by defections, the Congress leadership has appointed in-charge ministers for Lok Sabha constituencies and constituted a screening committee. The party, sources said, intends to give equal importance to all leaders while finalising candidates for the municipal elections.

A senior Congress leader acknowledged that Jeevan Reddy’s arguments were valid, noting that leaders like him had actively fought against the BRS regime for a decade. “When leaders against whom they fought suddenly join the party, it creates confusion and resentment among long-time Congress workers,” the leader said. However, he added that given the prevailing political realities, the party could not entirely rule out defections.

Another senior leader said such disturbances were not new to the Congress and expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved well before the municipal elections. He said efforts would be made to bring the leaders concerned together and amicably resolve differences.

“Giving priority to individuals will not arise,” the leader said, adding that the party would ultimately field candidates with strong winning prospects. “First preference will be given to official Congress candidates rather than followers of defected MLAs.”

Meanwhile, defected Patancheru MLA Gudem Mahipal Reddy had commented a few days ago that he committed a mistake by joining the Congress party. Responding to this, a Congress leader said there was no issue in Patancheru, asserting that the party would field its own candidates. “Whether Mahipal Reddy fields BRS leaders or not does not matter,” the leader added.