The political heat within the Telangana Congress is rising day by day. Although it may not be visible on the surface yet, there’s intense unrest brewing inside. Party leaders are reportedly worried about when these internal tensions might erupt and further damage the Congress. According to a minister, there’s a clear divide emerging among those in key positions — between the “landowners” and the “tenant farmers” within the party. Some senior leaders, who have been loyal to the party for years, are said to be unhappy that newcomers are now trying to dominate everyone. Even though the “landowner vs tenant” debate may not hold much political weight, the behavior of certain individuals acting beyond their limits is bringing this argument to the forefront.
In national parties, important positions usually go to those favored by the high command, while in regional parties, the leader’s preferences decide who gets seats and posts. Simply being with the party since its inception doesn’t carry much weight anymore. It’s been nearly two years since the Congress came to power in Telangana. During this time, the gap between Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and his ministers has widened, and governance doesn’t appear to be running smoothly — drawing heavy criticism toward the government. Many ministers are said to be upset with both CM Revanth Reddy and Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy. While most ministers have been trying to adjust with Revanth Reddy, they are reportedly angry over Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s behavior, who joined the Congress just before the elections but is allegedly acting as if he controls the entire government. Many leaders and ministers are finding this difficult to digest. There’s also growing resentment because CM Revanth Reddy is believed to be extending full support and backing to Ponguleti, which has intensified the anger among ministers and MLAs.
During a recent cabinet meeting, a Dalit minister reportedly questioned why most of the government’s contracts were being awarded to a company linked to a particular minister. The minister is said to have asked sharply, “Is he the only one who spent for the party? Didn’t the rest of us contribute?” Even more serious, according to Congress insiders, is that works proposed by ruling party MLAs are being ignored, while the same works are being directly handled and dealt with by that minister himself — sidelining the MLAs. This has led to significant resentment among legislators. Some of them, unafraid of potential backlash, are even making public statements that are bringing embarrassment to the government.
Instead of controlling the situation, CM Revanth Reddy’s silence is causing suspicion among MLAs — that both he and Ponguleti might be acting together. This, they say, is prompting some MLAs to make remarks that are pushing the government into trouble. Another minister commented that internal disputes between key leaders and MLAs, especially over personal interests, are tarnishing the image of both the government and the party. After the Assembly elections, it was widely expected — by over 90 percent of leaders — that the then TPCC President Revanth Reddy would become the Chief Minister, which eventually happened. Even though senior leaders like former TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy and former CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka tried for the CM post, once they were inducted as ministers, they maintained discipline and did not create any public controversies.
But Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, however, is reportedly acting differently — and that’s drawing widespread criticism. Several key ministers also suspect that Revanth Reddy and Ponguleti are acting in tandem on many matters. Many senior Congress leaders say they are unhappy with Ponguleti’s behavior — as he’s acting like the “true owner” of the Congress party, sidelining long-standing senior ministers and leaders. Adding to the tension, reports suggest that details of some ministers’ behind-the-scenes activities are continuously reaching the Congress high command in Delhi.