Please come back to us: Telangana Deputy CM's appeal to ex-Congress leaders

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Wednesday appealed to former Congress leaders who quit the party to return, saying they should come back and help strengthen the country by advancing the party’s ideology.

Speaking at the India Today Conclave South 2026, Bhatti said he would be “the happiest person” if former Congress leaders returned to the party, while specifically referring to his association with former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy.

“I have worked with Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy. I have not worked with Jagan Mohan Reddy. But definitely, as a Congressman, I would be the happiest person if all the old Congress leaders came back and joined the party. I appeal to all those who have left the party, not only in Andhra Pradesh but throughout the country, to please come and join the Congress,” Bhatti said.

Bhatti’s appeal comes against the backdrop of several prominent Congress leaders leaving the party over the years and going on to form or lead separate political parties.

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee left the Congress and founded the Trinamool Congress in 1998. The TMC, which is battling an internal split and divided into two factions, has emerged as a major political force in West Bengal.

In 1999, Sharad Pawar, PA Sangma and Tariq Anwar broke away from the Congress after differences with the party leadership and went on to form the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The NCP split in 2023 after Ajit Pawar rebelled against his uncle Sharad Pawar and joined the Mahayuti government led by the BJP and Shiv Sena.

YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, whom Bhatti referred to in his remarks, left the Congress after the death of his father YS Rajasekhara Reddy in 2009. He subsequently founded the YSR Congress Party in 2011 and went on to become the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh.BHATTI ON SIR ROW

Bhatti launched a strong attack on the Election Commission over the SIR exercise, saying its primary responsibility was to ensure public confidence in the electoral process.

“In a parliamentary democracy like India, it is the foremost duty of the EC to create confidence and trust among people,” he said, adding that elections must be conducted in a way that assures voters they are “free and fair”.

Bhatti alleged that large numbers of names were being removed from electoral rolls during SIR and claimed that voters perceived to be aligned with particular political parties could be targeted.

He also backed demands for the use of ballot papers, saying doubts about the electoral process should be addressed by the EC.

“People have been asking, prior to SIR, for ballot papers. When they have a benefit of doubt, it is the duty of the EC to say, ‘We will see that your benefit of doubt is clear, introduce ballot papers and conduct free and fair elections’,” he said.

Bhatti said explosive The Indian Express report that flagged differences within the EC over the SIR exercise had damaged public confidence in the poll panel and demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. “Gyanesh Kumar has to step down. The government, which is the main root cause of all of this, also has to step down,” he said.REJECTS FREEBIES TERM FOR GUARANTEE SCHEMES

Defending the Congress government's five welfare guarantee schemes in Telangana, Bhatti, who also holds the finance portfolio, rejected the description of the programmes as “freebies”, arguing that they contribute to the state's economy.

“For a person who does not have a house, if you give a house with lots of confidence and self-respect, it will work more,” he said.

Bhatti cited schemes, including Indiramma houses, the Rajiv Aarogyasri health cover, free bus travel for women and 200 units of free electricity.

He also cited Rythu Bharosa, under which he said Rs 12,000 per acre was being provided to farmers, arguing that such support enables farmers to invest in cultivation and increase production.'TELANGANA NOT GETTING ENOUGH CENTRAL DUES'

Bhatti also raised Telangana's share of central tax revenues, claiming the state receives only 43 paise for every rupee it contributes. He said several southern states, including Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, had similar concerns.

“Obviously, the government of India has to think that this country is a union of states, with a federal spirit. Whatever they're contributing, you have to give it back on the same lines,” Bhatti said.

“Many of the northern states, whatever they're contributing. Yes. They're getting more. That is because they are being ruled by BJP. That's not correct,” he added.

Bhatti said the Centre should uphold the federal spirit of the country and ensure that states receive a fair share of the revenue they contribute.BHATTI ON HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH REVANTH REDDY, CM ASPIRATIONS

Asked about his relationship with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Bhatti said the Congress government in Telangana was functioning collectively, with leaders discussing and deliberating before taking decisions.

“We are working together, 100 per cent without any difference. We discuss, deliberate, and we finally come to a conclusion to implement our Congress ideology through our governance,” he said.

On the question of caste and his own leadership aspirations, Bhatti, a Dalit face of the party, said Congress leaders should not be viewed through their caste identities.

“I don't see any leader, whoever is working in the Congress, based on caste. Whoever is working in Congress, all of them belong to the party, be it leaders and workers,” he said.- Ends