Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Sarve Satyanarayana on Thursday reached New Delhi to complain to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) against his suspension from the party by leaders of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC).
A visibly upset Satyanarayana was fuming as he spoke to reporters and lashed out at Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Uttam Kumar Reddy, calling him a 'shani' and a 'nuisance', demanding his ouster.
Speaking to reporters after meeting senior leader A K Antony in Delhi, Satyanarayana demanded Uttam's resignation, and said that the TPCC had no jurisdiction to suspend a leader like him, who reported to the AICC.
“Mr Antony was shocked to know about my suspension from the party. I explained the mistakes made by Mr Khuntia and Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy. They don’t have any right to suspend me from the party. The TPCC president is a nuisance to the party. Leaders of other alliance parties had to face humiliation in the elections because of his actions. Uttam is intentionally damaging the party,” Satyanarayana was quoted as saying.
Earlier this week, the former MP who recently contested on a Congress ticket for the Secunderabad (Cantonment) seat in the Telangana elections, was suspended for abusing Uttam Kumar Reddy and AICC leader RC Khuntia in a review meeting. The party had called for the meeting to examine its failure in the 2018 elections and Satyanarayana had held the duo responsible for the drubbing in Telangana.
As Satyanarayana continued his tirade, TPCC general secretary Bollu Kishan tried to intervene and pacify the senior leader, but it only resulted in the two of them entering a verbal duel and almost physically attacking each other.
Media reports stated that a commotion followed, in which Kishan's shirt was torn and a water bottle aimed at Uttam hit him.
Storming out of the meeting, Satyanarayana addressing the media said that a few leaders who didn't agree to his views about the performance of the Congress provoked some goons, which led to the physical attack.