Telangana Congress leader Maheshwar Reddy resigns

Hyderabad: In a jolt to Congress in Telangana, AICC programmes implementation committee chairman Alleti Maheshwar Reddy on Thursday resigned from the party.

He is likely to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Accompanied by state BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Maheshwar Reddy went to party’s Telangana in charge Tarun Chug’s residence in New Delhi on Thursday. He later called on BJP national president J. P. Nadda.

Maheshwar Reddy told reporters that he had sent his resignation to the Congress leadership. He termed his meetings with BJP leaders a “courtesy” call.

He said he would announce his future course of action after April 26.

Reddy said he decided to quit Congress with a deep sense of hurt.

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) had issued a show cause notice to Maheshwar Reddy, asking him to explain his “anti-party activities” within an hour.

TPCC Disciplinary Action Committee chairman G Chinna Reddy stated that the panel received complaints regarding Maheshwar Reddy’s “anti-party activities”.

There were complaints that he was moving closer to the BJP and making scathing remarks about the Congress leadership.

Maheshwar Reddy expressed dismay at the treatment meted out to him, when no action was taken against an MP who met BJP leader Amit Shah. He alleged that “certain people” within the party were attempting to force him out.

Maheshwar Reddy had said that he practises politics with ethics. He also denied any interest in any other party and claimed that he had always discussed his grievances within the party fora. He said he also sought an appointment with AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the situation.

Targeting TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy, he asked whether a person who had defected from many parties and lacked credibility could issue him show cause notices.