In major setback, Ponnala Lakshmaiah quits Congress ahead of Telangana polls

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce my decision to discontinue my association with the party. I have reached a point where I feel that I can no longer thrive in such an unjust environment. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all those who have supported me in my various party roles over the years,” he wrote.

Unverified reports suggest that the politician was miffed after being denied a ticket from the Jangaon Assembly constituency.

The four-time MLA who had previously served as minister in undivided Andhra Pradesh for 12 years also voiced unhappiness with the party’s ticket allocation process. 

“The party’s candidate selection process — which should ideally be driven by the principls of fairness and representation — has come under question. Allegations of irregularities further erode our party’s integrity…Unfortunately, we rely on external consultants — often disregarding dedicated workers’ voices,” he alleged.

Ponnala alleged that when a group of 50 BC leaders from Telangana went to Delhi to request prioritisation for the backward classes, they were denied even a meeting with AICC leaders. He dubbed it an embarrassment for a state that prides itself on self respect.

“It is deeply unfortunate that senior leaders like me have had to wait for months to discuss party concerns and I have personally expressed the frustration at waiting for 10 days in Delhi to meet AICC General Secretary K C Venugopal,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Updated: 13 Oct 2023, 04:25 PM IST