Kotla supporters want memo ignored

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, AUG. 6. The controversy over the Kurnool district Congress affairs has become a major issue, with supporters of the former Chief Minister, Mr. K.Vijayabhaskara Reddy, arriving in strength to Gandhi Bhavan, headquarters of the APCC, today to demand that the complaint levelled by a rival group against the former Chief Minister should be ignored.

This was in reference to a representation given after a noisy demonstration in Gandhi Bhavan on August 3 when Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy led a large group of party workers demanding action against Mr. Vijayabhaskara Reddy ``to save the Congress in Kurnool district.'' Followers of Mr. Vijayabhaskara Reddy told the APCC president, Mr. M.Sathyanarayana Rao, that the representation given by Mr. Vishunuvardhana Reddy should not be brought to the notice of AICC because ``Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy is not a primary member of the Congress.''

Mr. Sathyanarayana Rao, however, said that he would place before an AICC observer, who is expected to come here later this month, both representations given by Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy and the followers of Mr. Vijayabhaskara Reddy for a decision.

At a press conference the Kurnool DCC president, Mr. Kotla Suryaprakash Reddy, and the three MLAs - Mr. M.Sikhamani, Mr. Challa Ramakrishna Reddy and Mr. Mareppa - demanded that the AP Congress Committee-I should reject Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy's representation instead of sending it to the AICC. Earlier, a memorandum articulating this demand was also handed over by a large delegation to the APCC-I president.

Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy and his supporters had staged a demonstration in front of Gandhi Bhavan on August 3 when Mr. R. K. Dhawan, AICC general secretary, was addressing a meeting inside. They were demanding disciplinary action against Mr. Vijayabhaskara Reddy and Mr. Suryaprakash Reddy. His allegation was that the duo was responsible for the poor performance of the Congress in the local body elections in Kurnool recently. The Congress Legislature Party leader, Dr. Y. S. Rajashekar Reddy, addressed them, which was being strongly criticised by Mr. Vijayabhaskara Reddy's supporters.

But at a separate press conference, Mr. Palvai Govardhan Reddy, Congress-I legislator, found nothing wrong in the APCC chief and the CLP leader hearing the grievance of a Congress member and his supporters from Kurnool. He went on to demand action against ``big leaders'' who had turned the districts of Kurnool and Ranga Reddy into their fiefdoms.

Mr. Suryaprakash Reddy and the three MLAs had a tough time responding to presspersons' queries. If Mr. Vishnuvardhan Reddy was not a member, why was there a demand for action against him and why was he suspended by the Kurnool DCC president?. Mr. Suryaprakash Reddy clarified that it was only a show-cause notice.

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