The Hindu : Front Page : Santosh Reddy suspended from TRS

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2005

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Santosh Reddy suspended from TRS

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: Former Minister S. Santosh Reddy has been suspended from the Telangana Rasthra Samithi (TRS) by its president K. Chandrasekhara Rao in a sudden move on Monday night to pre-empt a larger revolt in the party against his leadership.

Mr. Reddy, who described his party chief as a dictator on Sunday, was contacting party MLAs and had even convened a meeting of like-minded partymen on October 21. But, Chandrasekhara Rao cracked down even before Mr. Reddy could mobilise support for the meeting that only gained importance now.

Hails action

The dissident TRS leader, however, welcomed his suspension, saying it would only encourage all democratic forces to come together against Mr. Rao.

Citing `consistent anti-party activities' as the reason for the disciplinary action, TRS spokesman K. S. Ratnam said the problem began on November 1 last year when Mr. Santosh Reddy, defying the party's call, participated in the official State Formation Day celebrations. He also embarrassed the party by delaying his resignation from the Cabinet and praising the Chief Minister. He left for the United States before the municipal elections and later blamed the leadership for the poll debacle.

Mr. Santosh Reddy said his suspension was in line with his complaint that Mr. Rao was behaving like a dictator who did not believe in any democratic assessment of the debacle. He appealed to pro-Telangana forces to support him.

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