Congress High Command Summons Marri Shashidhar Reddy

Hyderabad: The Congress party's central leadership on Saturday summoned senior leader Marri Shashidhar Reddy to New Delhi hours after he expressed resentment over being denied ticket to contest next month's elections to Telangana Assembly.

With his name missing from the third list of the candidates released by the party on Saturday, Shashidhar Reddy blamed party's state president Uttam Kumar Reddy. He alleged that Uttam Kumar misled the screening committee by stating that he will not win the election.

Addressing a news conference, Shashidhar expressed surprise over reports that Congress has left Sanathnagar seat to its ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP) under the seat-sharing agreement. He said TDP never demanded this seat. Shashidhar Reddy urged the leadership to reconsider its decision before Monday.

He also said that he will take a decision in tune with the wishes of his supporters and people of the constituency. Son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Marri Chenna Reddy, Shashidhar was elected to the assembly four times from Sanathnagar.

He had lost 2014 election. Earlier in the day, Congress announced third list of candidates for December 7 election to 119-member Assembly. The list comprising 13 candidates include former minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, who was miffed at being ignored in the first two lists.

The leadership announced his name after persuading its ally Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) to give up its claim for Jangaon, a constituency Ponnala had been contesting from for last three decades. With the third list, Congress has so far announced 88 candidates.

It is likely to declare six more candidates on Sunday as the party has agreed to leave remaining 25 seats for its allies - 14 for TDP, 8 for TJS and 3 for Communist Party of India (CPI). In a related development, TJS on Saturday announced four candidates. (IANS)

Also Read: Congress Leaves 24 Seats For Its Allies TDP, TJS, CPI