Revanth heads to Delhi amid Meenakshi, Hitler remark rows

Hyderabad: Amid the political storm over AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan’s rejected Rajya Sabha nomination and the controversy surrounding his ‘Hitler’s HYDRA’ remark, chief minister A Revanth Reddy left for Delhi on Wednesday night to attend the NITI Aayog meeting to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday.While the chief minister is expected to press for Telangana’s rightful share of tax devolution, central funds and financial support for key projects in the spirit of cooperative federalism, his Delhi visit is also likely to involve crucial discussions with the Congress high command on the Meenakshi issue.Revanth is expected to brief AICC leaders on the pending court case in Telangana involving Meenakshi, which led to the rejection of her Rajya Sabha nomination papers in Madhya Pradesh. He may also be asked to explain his recent ‘Hitler-inspired HYDRAA’ remark, which has triggered discomfort within the party.Congress has consistently accused the BJP of pursuing Hitler-like fascist policies. Against this backdrop, Revanth’s statement that he drew inspiration from Hitler’s assassin team ‘HYDRA’ while naming the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Asset Protection Agency (HYDRAA) has come under scrutiny. HYDRAA has been spearheading drives to clear encroachments and protect water bodies in Telangana.Sources said the chief minister is likely to apprise the AICC leadership whether any Congress leader or leaders were involved in passing on information about the pending court case against Meenakshi to BJP leaders in Madhya Pradesh.Several social media platforms have alleged that Revanth himself could have been behind the conspiracy against Meenakshi. Some even claimed that he had ordered an internal inquiry, identified the person responsible and was preparing to submit a report to the high command.However, there has been no official confirmation from any Congress leader on these claims. A senior Congress leader said the woman who had approached the court against a Congress leader and had also alleged that Meenakshi failed to act against him may have forwarded copies of her complaint through WhatsApp to BJP leaders and leaders of other parties. The woman complainant had joined the Congress more than seven years ago and had been assigned organisational responsibilities in parts of Mahbubnagar district, the leader said.Meanwhile, TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud also travelled to Delhi after AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge convened a meeting of all PCC presidents, AICC general secretaries and party in-charges of various states. Mahesh Goud is also expected to brief the leadership on the Meenakshi issue and the allegations made by the woman complainant.The meeting is likely to focus on strengthening the Congress organisation and maintaining cordial relations with INDIA bloc partners, amid reports of strains within the opposition alliance, including DMK reportedly distancing itself and several Trinamool Congress MPs shifting allegiance to the BJP.With the monsoon session of Parliament approaching, or a possible special session on the horizon, the AICC is also looking to broaden support within the INDIA bloc as the BJP-led govt is expected to bring forward the women’s reservation and delimitation bills.