
CM Revanth Reddy seeks Congress high command's guidance on holding talks with Maoists
HYDERABAD: FavoUring the idea of holding talks with Maoists, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has sought the advice and stand of the Congress high command. According to sources, the CM wrote a letter to AICC President Mallikarjuna Kharge on the matter.
It may be recalled that a delegation led by Peace Dialogue Committee convener Justice Chandra Kumar recently met with the CM, urging him to take the initiative in facilitating talks between the Maoists and the Centre. Following that meeting, the CM approached the party high command for guidance.
Sources stated: 'The CM has written to Kharge seeking the party's stand. He also sought advice and direction on how to proceed.' The letter reportedly included references to past experiences, including the 2004 talks held with the then People's War group in united AP.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, the CM said: 'Our intention is to hold talks. However, we will take an official decision only after discussing the issue with the party high command.' He emphasised that dialogue is a core part of the Congress party's ideology, adding, 'We believe dialogue is the only solution to any problem.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
31 minutes ago
- The Hindu
The difficult task of keeping everyone happy
The recent Cabinet expansion in Telangana reflects the Congress's promised commitment to social justice. By inducting three Ministers — Gaddam Vivek and Adluri Laxman from the Scheduled Caste (SC) group and Vakiti Srihari from the Backward Classes (BC) group — as well as leaders from socially and economically backward communities for various posts, the party has attempted to realign its power structure to better represent historically marginalised groups. However, this has not come without friction, particularly from the dominant Reddy community, which feels ignored despite its numerical and political clout in the Assembly. Of the seven BC MLAs in the Congress, three have been given Cabinet posts and two have been appointed as chief whip and whip. Among Ministers, Ponnam Prabhakar is from the Goud community, Konda Surekha belongs to the Padmashali community (with her husband hailing from the Munnuru Kapu community), and Vakiti Srihari comes from the Mudiraj caste. Pradesh Congress Committee chief A. Mahesh Kumar Goud is a Goud from the BC community. BCs enjoy more representation not just in the Cabinet, but also in key political roles. Additionally, with the inclusion of Mr. Vivek and Mr. Laxman, the number of SC leaders in the Cabinet has increased to four. They are split equally between the Mala and Madiga sub-groups. This balance is critical in a State where internal divisions within SC communities have influenced political equations, particularly the Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, a Mala, holds the Finance portfolio, while former Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narsimha holds the Health portfolio. Despite this progressive outlook, Congress has triggered dissatisfaction within its largest and historically most influential support base, the Reddy community. In the 119-member Assembly, 43 MLAs are from the Reddy community. Within the Congress, 26 of the 64 MLAs are from the Reddy community. Those who have been left out include strong aspirants such as Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, P. Sudarshan Reddy, T. Rammohan Reddy, and Malreddy Ranga Reddy. Mr. Rajgopal Reddy, who played a key role in boosting the Congress's prospects by jumping ship from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before the elections, feels particularly aggrieved, especially since his political ally, Vivek Venkatswamy, was inducted into the Cabinet. Both leaders were promised a berth. When Mr. Rajgopal Reddy, Mr. Venkatswamy, and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy from the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) entered the Congress at around the same time, it created the perception that the BJP was losing ground and that the Congress was the only alternative to the BRS. No one can deny impact of these leaders on the overall performance of the party even though Revanth Reddy, who was then PCC chief, strongly built an anti-BRS narrative. The BJP, which was looking strong, lost steam when Mr. Rajgopal Reddy and Mr. Venkatswamy exited the party at a crucial juncture. Mr. Rajgopal Reddy's brother, Komatireddy Venkata Reddy, is a Minister and hails from Nalgonda — a Reddy bastion. While being progressive in its politics, the Congress would also do well in ensuring that its traditional support base, the Reddy community, is kept happy. While the Congress's caste arithmetic may have worked, the representation of regional and minority members leaves much to be desired. Key districts such as Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy, and Nizamabad have gone not represented in the Cabinet. Muslims, and Lambadas among the tribal communities, have also been left out. There is no Muslim MLA in the Congress fold. The party has only one Muslim MLC, Amer Ali Khan. To bridge this gap, Congress is considering fielding a Muslim candidate from Jubilee Hills in the coming by-election. The names of Mohd Azharuddin, a cricketer, and Faheem Qureshi, a confidante of the Chief Minister, are being floated. To compensate for the absence of the Lambada community, the Chief Minister nominated Ram Chander Naik, an MLA from Dornakal, as Deputy Speaker. This complements the appointment of Gaddam Prasad Kumar, a Dalit, as Speaker. As a result, Telangana is perhaps the only State where both the presiding officers of the Assembly belong to the SC and ST communities, respectively.


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Another IED defused at blast site in Bastar where cop was killed
Raipur: Maoists had planted another IED device at the site of blast where an additional SP was killed in Konta region of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh. The IED device was diffused by security forces during an inspection. A day after the tragic death of ASP Akash Rao Girepunje in an IED blast, Bastar Range inspector general of police P Sundarraj visited the spot and vowed that the police would not relent until Naxalism is eradicated from Bastar. "We have launched an operation to track down the Maoists responsible for Monday morning's attack that has also injured our two officers," IG said. A follow-up search led to the recovery of another IED planted at the site, which was safely defused, he said. Girepunje, 42, who had been serving as ASP of Konta since March last year, was killed when the IED exploded at a stone quarry in the area. His sacrifice was honoured by Sundarraj, who emphasized that the police are prepared to take on the Naxalites with full strength. "We will not stop until Bastar is completely free from Naxalism," said Sundarraj. "The sacrifice of Akash Rao and other martyrs will inspire our mission for peace and prosperity."


Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
$134 million and counting: Pentagon details the whopping cost of sending troops to quell L.A. riots
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was grilled by Congress on why troops were sent to Los Angeles and how much it cost. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) told Hegseth that his time as Defense Secretary has been full of 'endless chaos.' as per Associated Press report. The hearing got heated, with lawmakers and Hegseth yelling over each other at times. After lots of pressure, Pentagon's acting controller, Bryn Woollacott MacDonnell, said sending troops to LA would cost $134 million. Hegseth defended the decision, saying the troops are there to protect federal agents during their work. He said under Trump, the use of troops inside the U.S. would probably increase to better protect the homeland. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Do You Remember Him? You Better Sit Down Before You See Him Today Reportingly Undo Troops for help This was Hegseth's first time answering tough questions in front of Congress since becoming Defense Secretary. The hearing was the first of three Hegseth will face this week. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) challenged Hegseth over sending 700 active Marines along with 4,100 National Guard members to guard federal buildings in L.A. during immigration raid protests. Hegseth avoided direct answers but then let MacDonnell explain that the $134 million would cover travel, housing, and food. Live Events Hegseth justified the 60-day deployment by saying they're there to stop 'rioters, looters and thugs' from attacking the police. The Posse Comitatus Act says U.S. troops can't police citizens, unless the Insurrection Act is used, which is super rare. It's unclear if Trump plans to use the Insurrection Act. Marine Corps Gen. Eric Smith told lawmakers the Marines in L.A. haven't had to act yet. He said they can't make arrests, they are only there to protect federal buildings and workers. When asked if Marines might use deadly force, Smith said he isn't worried, he trusts his troops to follow the law. FAQs Q1. Why were U.S. troops sent to Los Angeles? They were sent to protect federal buildings during protest-related unrest. Q2. How much did the L.A. troop deployment cost? The Pentagon said it cost around $134 million for 60 days.