Hyderabad, March 25 (NationPress) Former minister and prominent Congress figure T. Jeevan Reddy officially left the party on Wednesday, stating that he felt compelled to take this step after enduring prolonged disrespect despite his dedicated service of over four decades.

During a gathering with party members and supporters in Jagtial town, he made the announcement, marking the end of his 42-year-long relationship with the Congress party.

Despite efforts from Congress leadership to convince him to retract his resignation, Jeevan Reddy proceeded by submitting a resignation letter to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge.

He expressed to his followers that he had no alternative but to resign after experiencing humiliation. He criticized the party leadership for favoring ten MLAs who defected from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), while neglecting loyal party members and supporters.

Jeevan Reddy openly condemned Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and other leaders, asserting that Revanth's rise to Chief Minister was a result of the hard work put in by the party's grassroots members.

He recalled having sent a letter in October 2024 outlining the challenges facing the party, but lamented that no actions were taken to resolve these issues.

In reference to the tragic murder of his supporter Ganga Reddy, he pointed out that the Chief Minister failed to offer condolences to the victim's family.

Reddy vowed to continue opposing the Chief Minister but did not disclose his future plans.

On Sunday, Jeevan Reddy declared his resignation, citing the increasing interference of the defecting MLAs in party matters. He cautioned that such defections in Telangana could tarnish the Congress's reputation nationally.

“Respect is paramount, and without it, there is no purpose in remaining in politics,” he emphasized.

He accused Jagtial MLA M. Sanjay Kumar of undermining the interests of loyal Congress members in the district, stating that those who worked diligently to elevate the party were being overlooked.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president Mahesh Kumar Goud and other leaders met with Jeevan Reddy in Jagtial on Tuesday in a bid to persuade him to reconsider his decision.

Goud acknowledged that Jeevan Reddy's extensive political career and experience are invaluable, and it would be detrimental for both TPCC and AICC to lose him.

He admitted that Jeevan Reddy felt aggrieved by certain party decisions.

In an open letter to Congress members on Sunday, Jeevan Reddy conveyed that the insults and mental distress he faced made it unbearable to remain with the party.

Jeevan Reddy has been engaged in a contentious rivalry with Sanjay Kumar, one of the ten MLAs from BRS who joined Congress in 2024.

He faced defeat against Kumar in the Jagtial constituency during the 2023 elections and has publicly contested the party’s leadership for allowing Kumar to join.

Petitions for the disqualification of all ten MLAs were recently dismissed by the Telangana Assembly Speaker.

Infighting within the Congress party in Jagtial district became evident when Jeevan Reddy expressed dissatisfaction over the allocation of additional party tickets for municipal elections to Sanjay Kumar’s faction.