TRS MLC gamble set to lure rebels

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao kept his word by giving MLC tickets to five candidates who had come from the Telugu Desam and Congress. In the process, he also left a bait for new entrants.

At least two Telugu Desam MLAs are waiting in the wings, but did not join due to certain preconditions. If the TRS leaders are to be believed, some more TD and Congress leaders are expected to join the party after June 1.

Mr Chandrasekhar Rao’s bold decision to provide MLC berths to turncoats from Congress and Telugu Desam at the cost of party leaders is being looked at as a calculated strategy to instill confidence for cat-on-the-wall MLAs and leaders. The message is clear: Those who join the TRS will get their due.

Notwithstanding the large number of aspirants within the party besides T-movement activists for MLC tickets, Mr Chandrasekhar Rao’s decision would pave the way for more turncoats in the days to come. Mr Rao gave enough signals that if an MLA or MLC join the TRS, he or she will get the same post or better. He made two TD leaders ministers, ignoring his own men and women. He has now set eyes on other MLAs. The allocation of MLC tickets is to his advantage, a senior TD leader said.

Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari, roads and buildings minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, B Venkateswarulu are from TD while the council deputy chairman Nethi Vidyasagar and K. Yadav Reddy are from the Congress.

Nomination of five candidates not only surprised the TRS leaders but also led to hush-hush discussion on the party’s choice of ignoring own leaders. In fact, Mr Rao’s decision has set the cat among the pigeons despite the repeated denials of poaching by TRS leaders.

“We have fielded 5 candidates strategically. There is no need to lure anyone. Fearing more TD leaders joining TRS, party leader Revanth Reddy is indulging in loose talk. Let him see how many leaders will be left in TD after June 1,” says TRS MLC Sudhakar Reddy.

Meanwhile, the TD is going all out to prevent two MLAs from casting their votes. The TD floor leader E. Dayakar Rao insists Vemulawada TRS MLA Ch Ramesh has no right to vote in view of a Supreme Court judgement on his NRI status, The nominated Anglo Indian MLA also cannot vote. But legislature secretary Raja Sadaram maintains that the nominated MLA has voting rights in MLCs polls.

Mr Venkateshwarlu, who had quit the TD and to join the TRS, hit back at former colleague A Revanth Reddy. “Revanth Reddy has no moral right to criticise me. Though I was in Telugu Desam, I fought for Telangana in and out of Legislative Council. Revanth Reddy never backed Telangana,” he charged.