Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader T Jeevan Reddy staged a protest after the murder of his close aide, M Ganga Reddy, in Jagtial. He criticized the government for its failure to maintain law and order, creating significant political tension. When other Congress leaders, including PCC Chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud, tried to calm him down over the phone, Jeevan Reddy refused, fueling speculation that he might resign from the party.
The murder of M Ganga Reddy, a former MPTC member, in Jabitapur village on Monday was allegedly carried out by political rivals. Jeevan Reddy blamed the Congress party’s State leadership for encouraging defections from the BRS, which he believes led to this situation. He, along with his supporters, organized a large protest near the old bus stand in Jagtial.
Jeevan Reddy expressed his deep sadness over the murder of his party colleague. He questioned how Congress leaders could be safe if this was happening to one of their own, and he accused the BRS of creating chaos and lawlessness in the district. He also criticized the police for failing to prevent the murder in an already tense political environment. “If Congress leaders are not safe, what about ordinary people?” he asked.
This incident is not the first time Jeevan Reddy has been at odds with his party. Earlier in June, he opposed the entry of BRS MLA M Sanjay Kumar into the Congress, a matter that was eventually resolved after intervention from the party’s High Command. The rivalry between Jeevan Reddy and Sanjay Kumar has been ongoing for several years, especially after Jeevan Reddy lost the 2023 Assembly elections to Sanjay. In 2014, Jeevan Reddy had won against Sanjay, but he was defeated in 2018.
Meanwhile, PCC Chief Mahesh Kumar Goud tried to reach out to Jeevan Reddy to assure him of justice and a proper police investigation. However, Jeevan Reddy refused to speak to him. Goud explained that Jeevan Reddy was mourning his aide’s death and was too upset to talk at the moment. He also stated that the accused in the murder had already surrendered to the police and that Minister D Sridhar Babu was in touch with Jeevan Reddy to help resolve the situation.
