lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Mar 19, 2019 10:05 IST

A Dalit leader of the Congress’ Telangana unit set fire to the party flags, posters, banners and other publicity material worth Rs 15 lakh before announcing his resignation ahead of the Lok Sabha election 2019.

The video of Manne Krishank burning the Congress party’s campaign material on Sunday went viral on social media in Hyderabad. On Monday, Krishank met Telangana Rashtra Samithi working president KT Rama Rao and joined the ruling party in Telangana.

Krishank, a research scholar from Osmania University, was protesting against the party’s decision to deny him a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha election from Peddapalli parliamentary constituency to be held on April 11.

“I was assured of the party ticket from Peddapalli, which has been reserved for SC (Scheduled Caste). I have spent huge money on procuring publicity material for the campaign in the elections. But shockingly, the party has announced the name of A Chandrasekhar for the seat,” he said.

He pointed out that Chandrasekhar was suspended from the party for contesting as a rebel from Vikarabad during the December 7 assembly election. “The suspension was revoked last week and within two days, he has been given the ticket for Peddapalli. It is a huge disappointment and humiliation for me,” he said.

Krishank, the son-in-law of former Union minister and senior Congress leader Sarvey Satyanarayana, said he had played an active role in the Telangana movement as a student leader, faced several police cases and had been jailed several times.

Krishank, who held the posts of PCC general secretary and official spokesperson, said he had been trying for the party ticket to contest the elections since 2014.

“During the recent assembly elections, I was given the ticket from Secunderabad Cantonment constituency, but at the last moment, I was dropped and the ticket was given to my father-in-law,” he said and accused the state Congress leaders in Telangana of being selfish and money-minded.

“The party president promised me to field in the parliament elections, but once again, I was betrayed,” he said.