Jeevan Reddy Takes Oath as MLC—Challenges Defecting MLAs

Hyderabad, April 22 (Maxim News): Senior Congress leader T Jeevan Reddy, who was recently elected as an MLC from Graduates constituency, on Monday took oath as member of the State Legislative Council. The oath was administered by Council Vice-Chairman Nethi Vidyasagar.

Jevvan Reddy, a six-time Congress MLA, later speaking at a felicitation at Gandhi Bhavan, challenged all the Congress MLAs who said they will join Telangana Rashtra Samiti, to first resign as MLAs and then face the voters on a TRS ticket. The people will teach a fitting lesson to all such MLAs, he said.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said Jeevan Reddy’s election to the Council was a resounding rejection of TRS by people as the Graduate constituency voters were spread over 42 Assembly constituencies. “The TRS is coercing MLAs from other parties to join its fold and we reject the idea being floated that the MLAs are leaving because of leadership issues in Congress,” he said.

AICC general secretary RK Khuntia congratulated Jeevan Reddy on his election and said there was still time for the Congress MLAs who left the party to join TRS, to return to Congress. “This is the last chance and if you want to return later, we will not take you back,” he said.

CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, party working presidents Ponnam Prabhakar, and Kusum Kumar, former State Congress president Ponnala Laxmaiah, K Jana Reddy, and MLAs D Sridhar Babu and T Jagga Reddy, were among those who felicitated Jeevan Reddy.(Maxim News)