Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, AICC Telangana in-charge Deepa Dasmunshi, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud at Congress Legislature Party meeting in Hyderabad on Thursday (February 06).
| Photo Credit: handout
The five-hour marathon meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) witnessed some serious discussion with the MLAs pouring their heart out, some aggressively and some pointedly, and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy acknowledging their grievances, and at the same time giving a veiled warning that indiscipline would not be tolerated.
It was the platform for venting out the rumblings heard over the last few months and the views of the MLAs noticed by the Chief Minister, according to a senior MLA. This was the much needed open discussion on the party affairs and also the government’s performance.
A senior MLA trying hard to enter the Cabinet apparently asked the ministers why the response was meek to the charges levelled by the BRS. Either the response should be a strong counter or just ignore them outright but the message being sent out is that the government is on the defensive despite some good work done.
The Ministers not willing to take on the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) strongly to defend the Chief Minister was a point of discussion among the first-time MLAs though they could not convey it strongly at the meeting, according to a MLA, unwilling to be quoted.
CM’s veiled warning
Mr. Revanth Reddy heard the MLAs and their demands but sent a veiled warning that indiscipline would not be tolerated. Sources said the CM offered the MLAs to come with their problems to him directly or senior Ministers or the party high command if they were not satisfied with the response.
“I will get you an appointment with the high command and you can express your views there,” the CM is said to have offered in a tone that had loads of warning that it was not good for the party to hold group meetings. This came in the backdrop of some MLAs meeting over dinner and leaking the same to the media on the same night.
Jadcherla MLA Anirudh Reddy, who created a storm with the dinner meeting, explained that his intentions were totally different and not to embarrass the government. However, he wanted answers on why no action was taken against some BRS leaders’ land grabbing despite lodging of complaints.
Go to the people: CM
The Chief Minister asked the MLAs to go to the people aggressively and counter the Opposition parties’ propaganda on the two major decisions taken for the first time in India. The caste survey and the SC sub-classification were two huge decisions that should be taken to the people. These were historic and never done by any State government so far to benefit the backward classes and the deprived sections among the Scheduled Castes.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka gave a presentation on the finances and how funds were distributed to various schemes. He also addressed the demands for more funds to the MLAs to take up works in the constituencies and they were assured of the same.
Two meetings with Kharge and Rahul
Later, speaking to the media, TPCC president Mahesh Goud said that a massive public meeting is being planned this month in Nalgonda on the success of the caste survey where Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to be the chief guest. A similar programme will be held on the SC sub-classification with AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge as chief guest in Medak district.
Published – February 06, 2025 10:17 pm IST
