Rajagopal Reddy comments reported to Congress high command

Taking serious note of comments of party MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, who has hinted at joining BJP, the disciplinary action committee of Congress in Telangana Monday reported the matter to the high command.

The committee, which met here, deliberated on his comments against the party's key leaders and the national leadership, reported the matter to the high command and decided to wait for its decision, Congress sources said.

The Congress in Telangana is already faced with a crisis following the merger of 12 party MLAs with ruling TRS.

Rajagopal Reddy, the MLA from Munugode near Nalgonda, had earlier hinted that he might join the BJP.

"The Congress is in a difficult position, not only in Telangana, but the whole of India. The country will progress under BJP. The youth are with BJP.The party is the alternative to counter KCR (Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao)" he had said Sunday.

He has blamed state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and AICC incharge of party affairs in Telangana R C Khuntia for allegedly not being able to provide effective leadership.

Rajagopal Reddy has spoken to fellow party MLA T Jayaprakash Reddy, popularly known as Jagga Reddy, fuelling speculation that the latter also might join BJP.

Talking to PTI, Jayaprakash Reddy dismissed the speculation (about his joining BJP) and said he was seeking the post of working president in state Congress.

He said he would tour the entire state to strengthen the party if the post was given to him.

He confirmed that Rajagopal Reddy had spoken to him, but that he would not like to divulge any details as the former had taken him into confidence.

Though some Congress leaders were "confused" in the wake of political developments, it was not the case with party workers, he said.

Congress leaders commenting about fellow leaders was not something new and did not mean there are internal differences within the party, he said.

Ponnam Prabhakar, one of the three working presidents of the state Congress, slammed BJP's Telangana president K Laxman for his remarks that his party would welcome leaders from other parties.

"Is this BJP's discipline (it takes pride in)? It is shameful to say that leaders from other parties would be joining," he said in a statement.

He alleged that BJP was encouraging defections fromother parties.

Laxman had claimed on Sunday that many leaders from other parties have approached him and expressed willingness to join the party and they would be welcomed into the BJP fold.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader and former MLA Marri Shashidhar Reddy alleged that the party has been mismanaged over the last few years in the state.

"The party has been mismanaged in the past few years.Its performance is a reflection of the mismanagement of the party affairs by the incharge and state leadership," he told PTI.

He said he has informed R C Khuntia, in charge of party affairs in Telangana, that he should quit his post in this context.

Reddy, son of former Chief Minister Marri Chenna Reddy, had earlier suggested that Congress Working Committee members and AICC office-bearers quit their posts to give a free hand to party president Rahul Gandhi to undertake a complete overhaul of the party.

Shashidhar Reddy made the suggestion in the wake of CWC passing a resolution (after party's loss in Lok Sabha polls), calling for a complete overhaul of the party.

Reddy hoped the reported stalemate in view of Gandhi insisting on quitting would be resolved soon and corrective steps taken to give confidence to party workers and people.