Hyderabad: The internal rift within the ruling Congress intensified in Jagtial after the party high command handed a majority of municipal election tickets to the faction led by local MLA Dr. Sanjay. The decision pushed senior leader Jeevan Reddy into a position of open dissent.
The Congress announced 62 candidates for the Jagtial seats and Raikal municipalities. Dr. Sanjay’s faction received 36 seats 30 in Jagtial and six in Raikal. In contrast, Jeevan Reddy’s group got 26—20 in Jagtial and six in Raikal.
Party insiders said Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy directed the allocation based on candidate viability, supported by flash surveys and intelligence reports.
Tensions quickly rose after the announcement. Several Congress workers accused Dr. Sanjay of deliberately blocking their B-forms. As a result, police deployed forces near his residence and hospital to avoid unrest.
Meanwhile, Jeevan Reddy rejected the high command’s seat-sharing formula. He demanded that the party prioritise loyal workers instead of dividing seats between factions. In response, Uttam Kumar Reddy, TPCC chief and minister, reportedly reached out several times in an attempt to placate him.
Jeevan Reddy publicly expressed his dissatisfaction, alleging betrayal by the leadership. “The high command has silenced my voice and sacrificed loyal workers. I do not have a faction those who carried the party flag are my faction,” he said. He questioned whether he should remain silent while internal discipline was allegedly used to suppress dissent.