Ponnala ‘ouster campaign’ mounts

Hyderabad: The Telangana Congress leaders seem to be mounting an intense campaign for the ouster of TPCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah. The party leaders feel that this is necessary, if the party fortunes in the State are to be revived. They have pointed out that the party could have fare better in the State, if Lakshmaiah was not the PCC chief. The TPCC, they say, needs a charismatic leader who can take on the Telangana Chief Minister. Recently, Rajya Sabha member V Hanumantha Rao lashed out at the TPCC president and demanded that the party high command weed out dead wood. Among those who are in the race for the TPCC president's post are Ponnam Prabhakar and G Vivekananda. However, Lakshmaiah denied that there was any move to change the party leadership in the state.