New Delhi
After Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief Revanth Reddy challenged the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government to come for a discussion at the Martyrs Memorial in Gun Park, Hyderabad, on the free power supply claimed by the government and further alleged that not even 12 hours of quality power was being supplied for agriculture. insiders suggest that his comments backfired on the Congress and also created a rift within the party. It is being seen within the party that his comments have created a division within leaders with some seeking a clear stand from the state chief as they believe that his comments were put out without any thought and damaged the party interests. A party insider said, “The comments he (Revanth Reddy) had made were picked up by the ruling BRS and he (KCR) used them to mobilise farmers who also felt unhappiness towards the grand old party’s comments. Consequently, it backfired on the party.”
In a statement from the United States, Reddy had said, “The government has burdened the discoms with Rs 60,000 loans putting their survival at stake and he was ready for a discussion at Gun Park with the BRS leadership.” Moreover, he called upon Congress workers to protest and burn the effigies of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao at all the sub-stations in Telangana for his failure to provide quality power.
Later, the BRS, too, called for protests against Revanth Reddy’s reported comments that 8 hours of quality power supply would suffice for 90% of the farmers and that the 24-hour supply was only taking commissions from the suppliers. The battle took to streets when BRS cadres protested across Telangana on a call given by Municipal Minister K.T. Rama Rao condemning Reddy’s comments in the US. In addition to that, a senior ex MLA said that there was serious crisis and a few leaders openly commented against the state president. But the in-charge, Manickrao Thackeray, tried to bring the party together. “The party leaders are coming together now but the damage has been done as the chief has already given the ruling camp fodder to target Congress and they can milk it till the elections.” However, another leader suggested that the state incharge has been less capable to deal with organisational issues.
Earlier also, according to some reports, Revanth had carried out surveys and sought public opinion about Congress leaders in Huzurnagar and Kodad where Nalgonda MP Uttam Kumar Reddy and his wife Padmavathi have served as MLAs in the past and this had created a serious rift between the two. Moreover, the reports claim that Uttam Kumar Reddy had reportedly lodged a complaint with Congress Telangana affairs in-charge Manik Rao Thakare and expressed his displeasure on Revanth Reddy’s “stunt”.