Cong leader Palvai Sravanthi pleads Venkat Reddy to campaign for her in Munugodu

Hyderabad: Palvai Sravanthi, who is contesting on a Congress ticket in Munugodu by-election, came to Gandhi Bhavan here on Monday to cast her vote in Congress presidential elections. Congress MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy was also present at that time to exercise his franchise.

On seeing him, Sravanthi met the MP and pleaded him with folded hands to campaign for Congress in Munugodu. He blessed Sravanthi and gave his assurance to her. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Bhatti Vikramarka and other Congress leaders were surprised.

According to the sources, senior Congress leader V Hanumanth Rao urged Venkat Reddy to take part in by-election campaign. In turn, he asked Rao as to what about insult done to him by the Telangana Congress leaders. "I am working for the Congress with commitment despite I was insulted on several occasions," he replied. Sravanthi is the daughter of the Congress leader late Palvai Govardhan Reddy, who served as Rajya Sabha member.

As the date of Munugodu bypoll, November 3, is fast approaching, all the major parties are busy in campaigning. But the Congress is reportedly lagging and there is no zeal among the leaders and activist.

Congress candidate Palvai Sravanthi is fighting alone in the bypoll. Though she had declared as many as 38 leaders as 'star campaigners', none of them are campaigning for her, except a few leaders.

Congress' campaign strategy 'Mana Munugodu Mana Congress' is reportedly sluggish. It was criticized that campaigning is not going ahead as per the plan even after senior leaders were appointed as cluster in-charges and booth level coordinators in Munugodu constituency.

Uttam Kumar Reddy, Revanth Reddy, Geeta Reddy, Bhatti Vikramarka, Shabbir Ali, Sampath Kumar and other senior leaders have been appointed as the in-charges of various mandals, but allegedly not working with zeal at field level.

Komatireddy Venkat Reddy is away from campaigning while key leader in the election campaign Palle Ravi Kumar switched party and joined TRS. Another talk is that some leaders are not interested in campaigning since money is flowing like water in this bypoll.

On the other hand, Congress leaders are concentrating on Rahul Gandhi's Bhata Jodo Yatra, which will commence from October 23 in Telangana.

Left alone in the fray, Palvai Sravanthi took the responsibility on her shoulders and touring each village. She is reminding the villagers about her father former Minister and MLA Palvai Govardhan Reddy and his services. She is requesting them to remember while casting their vote in the bypoll.

On Monday, Congress MP and the party's star campaigner Komatireddy Venkat Reddy on Monday made it clear that he will not campaign in the Munugodu Assembly constituency where his brother Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy is contesting the by-election as a BJP candidate.

Venkat Reddy made the remarks while addressing reporters at Gandhi Bhavan, the state headquarters of Congress party, after casting his vote in the AICC presidential election.

"There is no need for a home guard like me there. Only SP level leaders will go there," the MP quipped when asked if he would campaign for the Congress party in the by-election.

"A leader said that he will bring the party to power even if 100 cases are booked against him. He will go there. I am an ordinary worker of the Congress party," he said.

Venkat Reddy did not name the leader but he was apparently referring to Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy.

The by-election in Munugodu, Nalgonda district, is scheduled to be held on November 3. The vacancy arose after Rajagopal Reddy resigned as MLA and also quit Congress party to join the BJP.

There have been speculations for the last several weeks that like his brother, Venkat Reddy would also switch loyalties to the BJP.

A member of Lok Sabha from Bhongir constituency, Venkat Reddy is likely to leave for a foreign tour to skip the by-election. He evaded reply when asked as to when he would be leaving.

Though Venkat Reddy was named as star campaigner by the party's leadership in April, he has been keeping himself away from party activities in Munugodu. He skipped Congress meetings, rallies and roadshows in the constituency.

After Rajagopal Reddy's resignation, TPCC chief Revanth Reddy had lashed out at him and also made certain remarks against his brother Venkat Reddy. Revanth Reddy's supporter Addanki Dayakar had made a bitter attack on the MP and made a home guard' and a bartender' jibes.

Revanth Reddy had later apologised to Venkat Reddy and asked the party disciplinary committee to take necessary actions against Dayakar for his comments.

Venkat Reddy had criticized the party's central leadership over the appointment of Revanth Reddy as TPCC chief in June last year. Venkat Reddy, who was also one of the aspirants for the post, made serious allegations against some central leaders of the party and had vowed not to step into state party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan.

The Bhongir MP, however, had later started participating in party activities and was seen with Revanth Reddy on a few occasions.