Putting an end to suspense and speculation, senior Congress leader and Munugode MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy announced his decision to resign from the Congress party on Tuesday, August 2. He said he will seek an appointment with the Telangana Legislative Assembly Speaker and tender his resignation in a day or two. Rajagopal Reddy did not say anything about joining the BJP, but only said he will announce his further course of action when the time comes.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, August 2, Rajagopal Reddy announced that he has taken this decision keeping in mind the people of his constituency. The Congress party in Telangana, which has seen multiple exits in the past couple of years, had been trying to dissuade Reddy from leaving the party, and had held talks with him as well. Though he did not announce it in Tuesday’s media address, it is speculated that Reddy will soon be joining the BJP.
“If I quit, I hope that the people of my constituency will get some promise of development from the government. There is still 18 months left for my tenure to end and I hope atleast for the sake of my seat the TRS government will do justice to my constituency,” Rajagopal said, addressing the media from his house in Hyderabad’s Jubilee Hills.
“My aim is to fight for the future of the people of Telangana and to fight to upkeep democracy in Telangana. The decision that I have taken is not for selfish interests. It is keeping in mind the good of the people of the constituency. I am going to tender my resignation from the Congress party. I will meet the speaker and tender my resignation,” he said, addressing the gathering.
Komatireddy said that despite being a long-standing member of the Congress, the party brought in ‘outsiders’ to head the state unit in Telangana, and it is due to ‘bad decisions’ that the Congress party is in a ‘despicable position’ in the state. Reiterating his dissatisfaction against the grand old party’s decision to make Revanth Reddy the TPCC Chief in the state, Rajagopal Reddy said it hurt that he had to work in the party despite losing respect.
“I have respect for the Congress party and the leadership. I have been saying this for a long time now. It is due to bad decisions taken that the Congress has taken that it is in a despicable situation today in Telangana. Even when several MLAs quit, nothing substantial was done. Congress asked me to stay back. I said there is nothing I can do even by staying back,“ Rajagopal Reddy said.
“I am a person who has always stood by the Congress and supported them. Despite being elected each time by the people, we were asked to work under people who came to the party. Don’t we have self respect? I have never done anything that is against my self respect.” he added.
Speaking about his next political stint, the senior Congress leader said he will announce his next move soon. “Just like I am announcing my resignation from the Congress and from my position as an MLA, I will announce if and when I will join the BJP,” he said.
Highlighting that there is a lot of misinformation and false propaganda against him on social media, Reddy said that his decision is not for his selfish reasons or for the sake of his business interests. “I spoke in favour of the BJP three years ago. My company got a Chhattisgarh contract in March 2022. My company is handled by my son. They had called for global tenders online for the Chhattisgarh contract. My company is mainly in North East and Jharkhand. This work has nothing to do with politics,” he stated.
The 55-year-old entrepreneur-turned-politician Rajagopal Reddy’s family has strong support in Yadadri Bhuvangiri district, where his constituency is located. Rajagopal Reddy previously served as a Congress MP, an MLC and is a currently sitting MLA. His brother Komatireddy Venkat Reddy represents Bhongir Lok Sabha constituency as a Congress Member of Parliament.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Congress has questioned why Rajagopal Reddy called for a press meeting in a hurry. The Congess had felt that Reddy was in a hurry to announce his decision as the party had given him an ultimatum. Congress had hinted that disciplinary action was in store for the Munugode MLA for his remarks against the party. Responding to this, Komatireddy said, “What action can the Congress take against me? I contested and won as an MLC. I am a person who has always stood by the Congress and supported them.”