Upset over denial of Cabinet berth, Telangana MLA ready for 'sacrifice'

Hyderabad, Aug 5 (IANS) Upset over being denied a Cabinet berth, Telangana Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy said on Tuesday that he is once again ready for a "sacrifice" for the people of his constituency.

The MLA from Munugode in Nalgonda district said that he was promised a Cabinet berth when he returned to the Congress in 2023. He, however, claimed that he was not running for any position.

Rajagopal Reddy, who is the brother of Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, said he would have become the minister if he had contested from LB Nagar, but he contested from Munugode for the sake of the people of the constituency.

"If I become a minister, it will be useful for people. Unlike others, I don’t want to become a minister by lobbying or to indulge in the loot," he said while speaking to media persons.

Rajagopal Reddy said if he was asked to choose between a ministerial position and the people of Munugode, he would choose the people of the constituency.

"When I joined the party, I was promised a Cabinet berth. I am not the one to amass wealth by misusing positions. I am not asking minister’s post for my personal interest. People of Munugode feel that if I become minister, this will help them,” he said.

He also claimed that he was promised a Cabinet berth if he ensured the victory of the Congress candidate from Bhuvanagiri Lok Sabha constituency. "It’s for the party high command to decide whether to give me the post or not. Those who came from other parties and my juniors were also made ministers. I am not the one to get the posts by touching the feet of others," he said.

Meanwhile, reacting to his brother’s remarks, Venkat Reddy said he was not aware if Rajagopal Reddy had been promised the Cabinet post. He also remarked on whether those seeking the post were eligible for it.

Venkat Reddy stated that making Rajagopal Reddy a minister was not in his hands.

Rajagopal Reddy had quit Congress to join the BJP in 2022 to force a by-election to the Munugode seat. He, however, suffered defeat at the hands of the TRS (now BRS) candidate.

He quit the BJP to return to the Congress days before the 2023 Assembly elections, and still managed to get the ticket and was re-elected from the same constituency.

After Congress came to power, Rajagopal Reddy openly expressed his desire to become a minister. He had also gone on record that he wants the Home portfolio.

However, Rajagopal Reddy was not included in the Cabinet and was ignored again in June when Chief Minister Revanth Reddy expanded the Cabinet with the induction of three ministers.

--IANS

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