Congress cracks whip on dissenters

Hyderabad: The Congress aspirants who failed to get tickets resorted to protest at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday. The leaders also burnt effigy of PCC chief A Revanth Reddy accusing him of having ‘sold out’ to ruling BRS party. To contain dissent in the party a day after the announcement of 55 candidates in the first list, the leadership began suspending the protesting partymen.

The PCC disciplinary action committee (DAC) suspended PCC secretary K Vijay Kumar and Bahadurpura leader, Kaleemuddin Baba from the party for protesting the decision.

“In a fit of rage that they did not get tickets they violated disciplinary norms. Any act like burning effigy of party leaders, tearing off flexes and indulging in verbal abuse will be taken seriously by the committee.

The ticket allocation has been made as per the AICC norms and the decisions are taken by the Central Election Committee. A single leader cannot be held responsible for this. Considering their acts who hold responsible the PCC chief for providing tickets have invited disciplinary action,” said committee chairman and former minister G Chinna Reddy.

Vijay Kumar who protested along with supporters raised slogans against Revanth Reddy alleging that he sold 65 tickets and made Rs 600 crore. The aspirant from Gadwal alleged that a non-Congress leader had offered Revanth Rs 10 crore, besides five acres. He also raised slogans like ‘nadu vote ku note, nedu seat ku note’ at while demonstrating at the Martyrs Memorial near the Assembly.

Vijay Kumar felt that several seniors were denied tickets despite their hard work in the party for decades. According to him, the party will be suffering a major setback in the upcoming elections, if loyal activists don’t get due recognition.

Kaleemuddin Baba who had contested from Bahadurpura in 2018, alleging that Revanth sold himself to AIMIM, burnt the effigy of PCC chief in Gandhi Bhavan. In 2018, despite being part of the grand alliance, the Congress fielded seven candidates, including Mohammed Ali Shabbir (Kamareddy), Esa Misri (Chandrayangutta), Kameelmuddin Baba (Bahadurpura), Mohammed Ghouse (Charminar), Feroz Khan (Nampally), Osmal Al-Hajri (Karwan) and Tahir Bin Hamdan (Nizamabad Urban).

But this time, with Bahadurpura and Chandrayangutta going to a non-Muslim candidate, the leaders and their supporters began protesting at Gandhi Bhavan. Amongst other seats from the Old City, even Yakutpura, Chandrayangutta and Malakpet have gone to non-Muslims.