Senior Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) leader and party spokesperson Professor Jyothsna submitted her resignation, alleging that the party had become a ‘collection club’.
Speaking to #KhabarLive in Hyderabad, Jyothsna said that the party launched by Professor M Kodandaram had lost its ideology and principles.
Targeting TJS leader K Dilip Kumar, she said, “I’m willing to prove every allegation I make today. I am ready for an open debate. I have evidence that the TJS has been collecting money in the name of party funds and has also been selling tickets. We have tried raising the issue with party leaders several times. Even Kodandaram was informed, but nothing happened.”
Responding to speculation that she might defect to the ruling-TRS party in the state, Jyothsna said, “I have no reason to hold this press meet if I’m going to jump to TRS. I’m not doing this for a ticket. I’m doing this because the ideology of TJS has been compromised.”
Jyothsna was reportedly hoping to get a legislator ticket from Amberpet constituency in Hyderabad and was upset after the party did not accept her request.
Reiterating that she did not quit the party over the ticket, she said, “If it was only about the ticket, I would not have toured the entire state for the TJS. I would have just worked in the constituency itself. This is not true.”
Amidst much fanfare, Telangana Joint Action Committee’s (TJAC) former chairman, M Kodandaram, formally launched his party Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) in April this year at Saroornagar in Hyderabad.
Kodandaram said that he was forced to form a political party as the government had violated democratic norms with impunity. He said that his party’s objective is social justice, as envisaged by Dr BR Ambedkar.
This is also not the first time that Kodandaram is facing an internal conflict within his own organization.
In March last year, the TJAC suspended its Co-Chairman N Prahalad and Convenor Pittala Ravinder after they questioned Kodandaram, accusing him of treating the organisation like a political party, and allying constantly with other Opposition parties in the state.
Issuing suspension orders, the TJAC had alleged that the ruling TRS party in Telangana ‘triggered’ the revolt, as they were worried with its growing influence in the state.
Kodandaram played an active role in the Telangana struggle for separate statehood as head of the TJAC and was one of KCR’s biggest supporters. Today, he is considered one of Telangana CM’s most vocal critics. #KhabarLive
