Kaushik Reddy, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee secretary has sent his resignation to party president Sonia Gandhi alleging during a press conference that Revanth Reddy paid Rs 50 crore to AICC Telangana in-charge Manickam Tagore to get the post of TPCC President.
Newly appointed president of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee and Malkajgiri MP A. Revanth Reddy was all set to take charge as State unit chief amid fanfare at Gandhi Bhavan ( party headquarters), until an alleged audio clip of Congress Huzurabad constituency in-charge and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Secretary, Padi Kaushik Reddy (who also happens to be the cousin of former TPCC President N Uttam Kumar Reddy), went viral on social media platforms.
The TPCC issued a show-cause notice to Kaushik after a phone conversation with a party activist, “TRS confirmed the by-election ticket to me. I will take care of you and you see the things that youth want in your village. Will give them up to Rs 5,000 of their expenses. They have to work for us.”, as reported by News18.
The audio of the conversation has been creating a sensation in Telangana politics soon after the resignation of former Minister Etela Rajender. Based on the audiotape, the TPCC disciplinary committee asked him to explain within 24 hours.
Kaushik Reddy on Monday slammed the Congress party, and submitted his resignation from the party to the AICC President Sonia Gandhi. Speaking to the media, he said Revanth Reddy became the Chief of TPCC by paying Rs 50 crore and that the Congress party will not win in Huzurabad by-elections. Earlier, Kaushik Reddy had alleged that ‘Revanth Reddy has been sold out to Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) EatalaRajender’. “He has given up election even before it started. Surprising that the PCC president gives an interview saying that Congress isn’t going to win in Huzurabad and there’s a fight only between BJP and TRS,” he told news agency ANI.
Retaliating to Kaushik’s charge, Tagore denied the accusation against him, claiming they are politically motivated. “Those who’re loyal to KCR always throw false allegations on me because my primary duty is to defeat TRS. My lawyers will issue notice for defamation & the complaint will be registered in Madurai. Welcome to Madurai Court,” Tagore said in a tweet.
Those who're loyal to KCR always throw false allegations on me because my primary duty is to defeat TRS. My lawyers will issue notice for defamation & the complaint will be registered in Madurai. Welcome to Madurai Court, tweets AICC Telangana incharge Manickam Tagore
(File pic) pic.twitter.com/ZF2WHdl7vJ
— ANI (@ANI) July 13, 2021
According to Kaushik, Revanth Reddy seems to be ‘in trance’ and that “Congress will not get deposits in by-elections. Congress party will vacate within six months.” He also added , “Thanks to Rahul Gandhi and Uttam Kumar Reddy for trusting me and giving me a ticket to the Huzurabad Assembly seat in the last elections. I decided to leave the party in the wake of the current political situation in the state. I have decided to participate in the development of Telangana”.
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Congress is evidently, a family owned business, albeit a failing one. Stacking money seems to be the sole goal of the family. Seats of the INC either get transferred based on family lineage, or they sold out based on the highest bid, with the recent developments in Telangana added to it. With the downfall of this age old business model, especially at the cost of political fortunes, this family business should accept that it is in no longer in a position to mount a serious political challenge.