Cong. MLA to back TDP candidate

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, MAY 15. Mr. M. Narsimhulu, Congress MLA representing Alair in Nalgonda district, has formally announced his decision to support Mrs. Uma Madhava Reddy, Telugu Desam candidate from the neighbouring Bhongir constituency, in the coming byelections.

Justifying his decision on the plea that the TDP nominee was a woman who deserved sympathy, the Dalit MLA said he would work for her victory in the bypolls and would appeal to all Congressmen to rise above political affiliations and support her candidature.

Mr. Narsimhulu fired a salvo at the APCC president, Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, by accusing him of treating the party as his pocketborough and doing precious little to strengthen the organisation. To pointed questions about the possibility of his joining the TDP, he said, ``How can I join the party when I am still a Congress (I) MLA ?'' He contended that it was not unusual for Congressmen to criticise their leaders while remaining as members of the party.

His main grouse against the PCC chief was the denial of the party ticket to his protege and district NSUI president, Mr. Pramod Kumar, in the municipal elections held in March. Even in last year's Assembly elections, the candidate supported by him was bypassed for the party ticket from Bhongir.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the MLA said that on both occasions Dr. Rajasekhara Reddy had reneged on his promise to nominate candidates of his (Mr. Narsimhulu's) liking. ``This left me with no option other than fielding Mr. Pramod Kumar as an independent candidate in the Municipal polls due to which the Congress candidate forfeited his deposit'', he said.

The five-time MLA said he felt humiliated by the PCC chief who appeared to be ``playing around with him.'' He pointed out that the Congress did not have a single MLA in Nalgonda district in the previous Assembly but it won nine out of 12 seats after he joined the Congress. ``I am not trying to take the entire credit for this but my presence helped in garnering the Dalit vote'', he added.

Confirming reports about his meeting with the Chief Minister, Mr. N. Chandrababu Naidu, a few days ago, he claimed it had nothing to do with his decision. He had only sought an assurance from Mr. Naidu to extend the benefits of irrigation from the Sriramsagar flood flow canal to the whole of the Alair and Bhongir Assembly segments.

Mr. Narsimhulu said his differences with his arch rival, the late A. Madhava Reddy, were ideological in nature and not personal and, in fact, both had worked hard for the development of Nalgonda district. When it was pointed out that the Congress nominee from Chevella was also a woman, he said he would appeal to TDP workers to support her.

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Section  : Regional
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