Telangana Cong's Manickam Tagore sends notice to Kaushik Reddy over bribery allegations

A day after his high-voltage exit from the Telangana Congress, Padi Kaushik Reddy has been served a notice by Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) in-charge Manickam Tagore. The notice is in relation to the allegations made by the former leader that Revanth Reddy bribed Manickam Tagore to the tune of Rs.50 crore for the post of president of Telangana Congress. An apology had been sought from Padi Kaushik Reddy in relation to the allegation within a period of 7 days, failing which, a defamation suit worth crore, as per Manickam Tagore's notice, will be filed. 

Kaushik Reddy resigns from TPCC 

An audiotape of Kaushik Reddy had started doing the round in which he is heard speaking to TRS worker Vijender of Madannapet, asking him to mobilize youth and bring them to the TRS party by paying them Rs 3000- 5000. In the leaked audiotape, Kaushik is also heard saying that he will contest the election from the Huzurabad constituency on a TRS ticket.

"OK. Leave all that now. I made this call to inform you that I was confirmed a TRS ticket. I know you are in TRS. Give me the list of all our youth leaders who are not with us (indicating the status of TRS youth leaders after Etala Rajendar’s exit from TRS). How many are there?". Kaushik added, "I will take care. We will meet their expenses. Bring all of them into our fold within two days. I will take care of the money. How much time will it take?"

The leaked audiotape, which was widely in circulation, did not go unnoticed and the Telangana Congress disciplinary action committee, led by its Chairman M Kodama Reddy, issued a show-cause notice, asking Kaushik to explain his anti-party activities and his alleged involvement with TRS leaders, despite having been warned about it in the past. Hours thereafter, Kaushik submitted his resignation to interim president Sonia Gandhi. 

After submitting his resignation, Kaushik in a press conference made allegations against the newly appointed TPCC President Revanth Reddy by saying that he paid Rs 50 crore to AICC leader Manickam Tagore to get the post of Telangana Congress president. 

Revanth has, however, refuted the claims. Talking to the media, he said, "Former TPCC President Uttam Reddy has said that allegations levelled by Kaushik against me are false and baseless." It is pertinent to mention here that Uttam Reddy is a cousin of Kaushik Reddy. 

(Credit-ANI/PKR.INC/Facebook)