Abdullah Sohail Shaik Resigns From Cong

Marking the end of his 34-year-long association with Congress ahead of the Telangana Assembly polls, the chairman of state Congress’ minority department, Abdullah Sohail Shaik, has resigned from the party.

Talking to ANI, Shaik hit out at the Congress and its leader, Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the allocation of tickets in the party depends on one’s relationship with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or one’s wealth.

“I was in the Congress party for 34 years. With a lot of pain, I have sent my resignation to the High Command. The reason for my resignation was that the PCC president is giving tickets to two categories, either they should have a relationship with the BJP or they should be rich. Of the 100 tickets declared, 25 are in this category. As a minority chairman, I cannot campaign for someone who is related to the BJP…,” the leader said.

Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi’s slogan ‘Mohabbat ki dukkan’, Shaik said that the Wayanad MP has given

Rahul wants to open ‘Mohabbat ki Dukan’ in India but has given Telangana’s ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’ keys to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) agent.

“I was in the Congress party for 34 years. With a lot of pain, I have sent my resignation to the High Command. The reason for my resignation was that the PCC president is giving tickets to two categories, either they should have a relationship with the BJP or they should be rich. Of the 100 tickets declared, 25 are in this category. As a minority chairman, I cannot campaign for someone who is related to the BJP… Rahul wants to open ‘Mohabbat ki Dukan’ in India but has given Telangana’s ‘Mohabbat ki Dukaan’ keys to RSS agent…” Abdullah Sohail Shaik said.

In an 8-page resignation letter addressed to the party’s high command, Shaik called the decision of quitting the party a ‘painful goodbye’ and blamed TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy’s leadership primarily for his reason to resign from the grand old party.

“……the entry of Revanth Reddy as the TPCC President in June 2021 completely changed everything. He turned the Congress party into a grocery shop where people with heavy wallets could walk in and purchase any post. Today, a majority of people who are holding top positions in the party, never worked on the ground. They never participated in any agitation, and never faced arrest. They entered the Gandhi Bhavan in their Mercedez, received a red carpet welcome, paid a certain amount, and purchased a top position.

He further said that unfortunately, the Congress high command, which boasts of a huge organisational network and an active vigilance mechanism, did not realize that the party headquarters Gandhi Bhavan has been turned into a shopping mall.

Shaik said he believed that only the Congress had a real secular character and ideals to work with legendary leaders like V Vengal Rao, Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy, Dr K Rosaiah, Kiran Kumar Reddy, Ponnala Laxmaiah, and N Uttam Kumar Reddy.

He said it was “unfortunate” that he had to work under the leadership of current TPCC president and former Sangh Parivar activist A Revanth Reddy for the last two and a half years.

“Out of 34 years in politics, the last two and a half years were extremely painful as I witnessed the Congress comprising [sic] its ideals just to come to power,” he said in the letter.

Notably, the state is going to the polls on November 30.

The counting of votes for the Telangana Assembly will be held along with those of four other poll-bound states on December 3. (ANI)