Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

TD leaders term Goud ‘selfish’

HYDERABAD: Several Telugu Desam Party leaders from Telangana rallied strongly behind the party leadership by describing T. Devender Goud’s resignation as an action borne out of selfish motives.

Senior partymen including E. Dayakar Rao, MP, R. Chandrasekhar Reddy, ex-MP, Nagam Janardhan Reddy, K. Harishwar Reddy, Uma Madhav Reddy, T. Srinivas Yadav, all MLAs, and several former MLAs headed for the NTR Trust Bhavan, the party’s headquarters, to discuss the fallout of the resignations of Mr. Goud and E. Peddi Reddy.

Other leaders Chennamaneni Rajeswara Rao and Kadiam Srihari who were pressing the party to adopt a line favouring separate Telangana were conspicuous by their absence.

The leaders said that Mr. Goud’s exit from the party was anticipated as he was publicly airing his views on Telangana issue to mount pressure on the leadership. “We expected him to put in his papers after the meeting of the five-man committee in Vizianagaram on June 18 where he appeared dissatisfied. But, he took his time to firm up the decision,” a senior Telugu Desam leader said.

Mr. Janardhan Reddy said Mr. Goud took the decision for “selfish interests” as he was sure that he could not ascend to the number one position in the party. This was evident from the fact that Mr. Goud, who was junior to many a leader in the party, was elevated to his present position because he hailed from a BC community.

Mr. Goud’s exit would not have any impact on the TDP in Telangana as the party had strong and committed cadre in the region.

Responding to reports that Mr. Srihari and another senior leader G. Sukhender Reddy were likely to leave, he said the two leaders clarified that they had no intentions to quit.

Mr. Rao said Mr. Goud should have made known his unhappiness over the composition of the five-member committee at the time of its constitution instead of complaining about it later.

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