BRS MLA Sanjay’s joining: Telangana Congress sends teams to pacify Jeevan Reddy

Hyderabad: Congress senior leader and MLC T Jeevan Reddy’s statement that he would resign as the Member of Legislative Council, upset over the party admitting his rival and Jagtial MLA Dr Sanjay Kumar without keeping him in the loop, made ministers and senior leaders rush to his residence in Begumpet on Tuesday to pacify him.

Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, minister Sridhar Babu, Ramagundam MLA Makkan Singh Raj Thakur, ex MLA Vijaya Ramana Rao among others met Jeevan Reddy and tried to impress upon him not to take a hasty decision. However, later Jeevan Reddy might have made a decision to resign from his MLC position.

Addressing the media, Bhatti said that they would convey the sentiments of Jeevan Reddy to the Congress leadership.

Congress needs its senior leaders

Congress got into power in Telangana after a gap of 10 years and the party leadership is keen to utilise the services of senior leaders like Jeevan Reddy who also served as a minister earlier.

For the second consecutive day, Telangana Congressmen are reaching out to the senior leader.

It may be noted that minister Sridhar Babu rushed to Jagtial on Monday to meet Jeevan Reddy after the latter came out in public and expressed his resentment against Dr Sanjay’s admission into the Congress fold.

Sridhar Babu is learnt to have made a mention of Jeevan Reddy’s strong resolve to keep the party and cadre afloat in Karimnagar district during the tough times when the party was not in power.

Now, as the Congress government is trying to rebuild the State and its economy after BRS regime pushed Telangana to the brink of crisis, the experience and support of Jeevan Reddy is much needed, the minister conveyed to Jeevan Reddy, as per Congress sources.

Sources stated that Legislative Council chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy was not available on Tuesday and hence Jeevan Reddy could not submit his resignation letter as desired by him.

Notwithstanding the party leadership's efforts to pacify him, Jeevan Reddy got into a huddle with his supporters and cadre from his constituency in the wake of fresh developments.

Later in the evening, it was announced that he decided to submit his resignation as an MLC but would continue in the Congress party.

Speaking to the media earlier, Jeevan Reddy said that local leaders and cadre were very upset with the manner the joining took place. Although it is being said that joinings are being done to increase party strength in the Assembly, the big shock was that no one consulted me before this decision was made, Jeevan Reddy rued.

Political rivalry from the last three elections

Jeevan Reddy and Dr Sanjay Kumar’s political rivalry started in the Jagtial Assembly segment in the 2014 elections.

Congress won the seat in 2014 when Jeevan Reddy got the better of Dr Sanjay of TRS by a margin of 7,828 votes. Jeevan Reddy polled 62,531 votes while Sanjay got 54,788 votes.

However, in the 2018 Assembly polls, Dr Sanjay defeated Jeevan Reddy by a margin of over 61,000 votes. In the 2023 Assembly elections as well, Dr Sanjay extended his winning streak by prevailing over Jeevan Reddy by a margin of over 15,000 votes.

This is a one-off case: Dayakar

Telangana Congress has openly stated many times in the last six months that many BRS MLAs are keen to switch sides with the ruling party.

Till now five MLAs deserted BRS and as per Congress leaders more will follow suit. Unlike BRS, Congress does not look to have a smooth road ahead as far as joinings are concerned if Jeevan Reddy's episode is anything to go by.

However, Addanki Dayakar, Congress senior leader and close confidante of CM said that Jeevan Reddy’s episode is a one-off case and it will not affect other joinings.

Just because he is vastly experienced and has had a close association with the party for almost four decades, the admission of his political rival without his knowledge did not go down well. However, it might not be the case in other joinings that may happen in the near future, Dayakar felt.

As far as informing the local leadership is concerned, we are witnessing how local BRS leaders are being instigated to hold dharnas and protests in front of BRS MLAs, who are keen to join Congress. Why give such a chance? Also, if informed some local leaders may not be on the same page as the party, Dayakar said.

Jeevan Reddy’s episode will not be a roadblock: political expert

Political expert Telakapalli Ravi felt that Jeevan Reddy’s episode will not act as a stumbling block to Congress’s Operation Akarsh plans.

Congress leadership is very clear that is not averse to welcoming elected representatives who wish to join the party. Though leaders might have their reservations about not being informed, one must note that these are discreet operations, Ravi said.

However, Congress has to be a little careful going forward to avoid such situations happening again. After the Lok Sabha results where Congress and BJP won eight seats apiece, both parties are keen to join leaders from other parties. Unlike KCR, who did not face strong dissent within the party during defections, Revanth Reddy is expected to face challenges and that is the way Congress is known to function, Ravi said.