Harish Rao back in TRS spotlight, named party's RR in-charge for MLC poll
HYDERABAD: TRS boss and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao appears to have taken the upcoming MLC election for Hyderabad-Ranga Reddy-Mahbubnagar graduate constituency quite seriously as he has fielded former prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao's daughter Surabhi Vani Devi as the party candidate.
Rao appointed three ministers as in-charges for each of the three districts on Friday in addition to local ministers of respective districts to ensure Vani Devi's win.
Incidentally, it is after a long time that finance minister T. Harish Rao is back in focus as election in-charge for Ranga Reddy district. The decision was taken by Chandrasekhar Rao during a meeting with ministers to devise the strategy for MLC polls.
Immediately thereafter, Harish Rao convened a meeting with party leaders and cadre of Ranga Reddy district. Harish Rao was confined as election in-charge in the undivided Medak district, his home district, after the TRS came to power in 2014. IT minister K.T. Rama Rao has led the party in all elections since 2014.
The TRS chief used to assign each and every election task from 2001 to 2014 to Harish Rao, who is known as ‘trouble-shooter’ and ‘tough task-master’. He ensured the party’s victory in every election.
However, the latest decision to bring him as election in-charge for Ranga Reddy district has come as a surprise to party leaders and cadre.
Meanwhile, civil supplies minister Gangula Kamalakar will be in-charge for Hyderabad district while roads and buildings minister Vemula Prashanth Reddy will hold the position for Mahbubnagar district.
Local ministers Talasani Srinivas Yadav, Ch Malla Reddy and Mohd Mahmood Ali, Sabitha Indra Reddy and Singireddy Niranjan Reddy were appointed in-charges for their respective districts earlier.
Chandrasekhar Rao has reportedly warned ministers against any complacency saying that the party could no longer afford to lose MLC polls. It may be noted that although TRS swept all the polls in Telangana since its formation, it suffered setbacks in MLC polls.
