If former Indian cricket captain and ex MP Mohammed Azharuddin thought that his wish to contest next election from Secunderabad in his home State Telangana will be welcomed and supported by Congress party, he was in for a big disappointment and shock.
A day after Azharuddin said that he was interested in contesting from Secunderabad and had conveyed the same to the party’s central leadership, the group rivalries and internal squabbling in the party came out with full ferocity with one group disrupting a party meeting to give vent to their anger against Azharuddin.
The supporters of Anjan Kumar Yadav, two time MP from Secunderabad shouted slogans against Azharuddin at a meeting of senior party leaders. The meeting was convened by Anjan Kumar, the Greater Hyderabad city Congress president to discuss the formation of the City Congress committee and discuss the strategy for the lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies in Hyderabad.Supporters of Anjan Kumar disturbed the meeting raising slogans against Azhar and objecting to his statement. “If he has guts let him contest from
Hyderabad lok Sabha constituency”, some of the Yadav supporters said.
Sarve Satyanarayana, former MP from neighboring Malkajgiri lok Sabha constituency, also spoke in the same tune and supported Anjan Kumar Yadav saying the party ticket from Secunderabad should be given only to Yadav.
In 2014 Anjan Kumar Yadav was defeated in Secunderabad by Bandaru Dattatreya of BJP.
Today’s ruckus took place in the presence of AICC representative Bose Raju and the state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy tried to pacify the crowd.
According to the State Congress leaders, the party was keen that Azharuddin should contest the elections from home-State Telangana rather than any other State. He was elected to lok Sabha once from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh in 2009 but was defeated in 2014 from Tonk in Rajasthan.
Meanwhile Anjan Kumar Yadav made it clear that he will be the party candidate from Secunderabad lok Sabha constituency and there was no question of his opting for any other seat.