Security sought for Gandhi Bhavan

​Hyderabad: With the D-Day approaching for the announcement of names of the Congress candidates for the Assembly elections in Telangana, Gandhi Bhavan, the headquarters of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee, continued to reverberate with slogans by those who suspect that they may not be making the cut.

As the unruly Congress workers and leaders tried to force their way into the building, the security staff closed the doors to prevent them from ransacking the office. As the situation was getting out of control, the Congress leaders rushed to police officials with a request to provide security at the building. After taking stock of the situation, the police have decided not to allow anyone inside the premises after 8 pm till the situation becomes normal again.

The high point of the protest was an attempt of self-immolation by two followers of Uppal Congress leader R Laxma Reddy. The party leaders prevented them from committing suicide.

The agitation of the ticket-seekers reached a peak after the Congress has decided to announce the nominees on Monday or Tuesday. The Screening Committee of the AICC completed the exercise and prepared the list for final approval. As the Congress announced seats for the alliance partners, the leaders of the grand-old party from those constituencies have started to protest, demanding that the Congress should retain them.

The Congress leaders from Khanapur continued their hunger strike on Saturday in front of the Gandhi Bhavan. They have been protesting the move to allot ticket to Ramesh Rathod, claiming that he landed in the party with parachute.

Later, the Congress leaders of Nakrekal who did not want allotment of ticket to Chirumarthi Lingaiah joined the protestors. They wanted that the ticket should be given to one Prasanna Raj.

In the afternoon, hundreds of followers of R Laxma Reddy of Uppal Congress reached Gandhi Bhavan and staged protest. They demanded that that PCC should not allot the seat to Telugu Desam Party as part of alliance.
PCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy spoke to agitating leaders of Nakrekal and tried to convince them to call off their protest.

Congress senior leader M Kodanda Reddy spoke to the protesters. On the other hand, AICC’s Screening Committee chairman C Bhakthacharan Das on Saturday said the first list of Congress candidates would be announced on November 12 and the remaining names on November 13.

The alliance partners have continued to mount pressure on the Congress to raise the number of seats allotted to them. The Congress announced 14 seats to Telugu Desam, 8 to TJS and three to CPI. CPI state secretary Chada Venkat Reddy held meetings with Telugu Desam and TJS leaders and complained about the unilateral attitude of the Congress.

He wanted to know as to how the Congress could announce the seats to be contested by alliance partners. PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and party affairs in-charge RC Khuntia, who returned from Dubai on Saturday morning began efforts to douse the flames in the alliance. They held talks with TJS president M Kodandaram and TS TD president L Ramana at a private hotel.

The Congress leaders, who are not satisfied with the way tickets are being finalised, have been complaining to the high command and the PCC. The AICC leaders have invited several leaders to Delhi and tried to cajole them on the tickets issue.

As the pressure is increasing on the party from within and outside, the Congress deferred with the announcement of the list of its candidates. The Congress planned to announce the list on Saturday. But it has decided to postpone the release to continue the talks with alliance partners.