Congress Ministers Accused of Grooming Heirs for Assembly Seats Two Years Before Elections
Two senior Congress ministers in Telangana are facing accusations of working behind the scenes to secure assembly constituencies for their family members, triggering internal party tensions and factional disputes in their respective regions well ahead of the next state elections.
Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Damodar Rajanarsimha are at the centre of the controversy, with critics alleging that both ministers are prioritising dynastic ambitions over party cohesion at a time when elections are still roughly two years away.
Palakurthi Seat Turns Into a Family Battleground
In Palakurthi, sitting MLA Yashaswini Reddy finds herself squeezed from two directions. Ponguleti, according to sources within the party, has been backing her son-in-law's prospects in the constituency, a move seen by Yashaswini Reddy's camp as a direct act of political betrayal.
Adding to the complexity, Yashaswini Reddy is also reportedly at odds with her mother-in-law Jhanshi Reddy over the latter's support for outsiders during local body elections, with Ponguleti's brother reportedly standing alongside those candidates. When Jhanshi Reddy escalated the dispute by filing a complaint seeking the suspension of those involved, Ponguleti's brother Raghurami Reddy, who is the Khammam MP, intervened before the party's disciplinary committee in their defence.
Meanwhile, minister Vem Narender Reddy is separately manoeuvring to contest Palakurthi on behalf of his son, reportedly drawing disgruntled local leaders to his side as he builds support for the bid. The result is a constituency where multiple senior figures are pulling in different directions, with the sitting MLA caught in the middle.
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Zahirabad Seat Draws Damodar Into a Different Tangle
In Zahirabad, minister Damodar Rajanarsimha is said to be preparing the ground for his daughter Trisha to contest the assembly seat. The plan, however, is running into resistance from former minister Chandrashekar Reddy, whose presence in the constituency stands as an obstacle to Damodar's succession plans.
Party sources allege that Damodar has been actively encouraging local leaders to push for Chandrashekar Reddy's removal from the party, framing internal dissent as a vehicle to clear the field. Khammam MP Suresh Shetkar is also said to be pressing his claim for the Zahirabad seat, further muddying the waters and adding another layer of competition within Congress ranks.
A Pattern That Reflects Poorly on the Party
The situations unfolding in both Palakurthi and Zahirabad point to a broader problem: senior Congress leaders using their ministerial positions and political influence to advance the electoral careers of their children and close family members, while leaving sitting legislators and local party structures destabilised in the process.
With assembly elections in Telangana not expected until 2028, the timing of these manoeuvres has raised eyebrows among party observers. The Congress, which swept to power in Telangana in 2023 on promises of governance and accountability, now faces questions about whether its own ministers are more focused on building political dynasties than on delivering on those commitments.