Routed TRS aspirants eye Bhadradri ZP post

Kothagudem: The government has reserved the Bhadradri-Kothagudem zilla chairperson post for Scheduled Tribes (ST). This has led to many TRS candidates who were defeated in the recent Assembly polls to try their luck for the post.

In the recent Assembly elections, the TRS lost in all the five Assembly segments. Four out of these five segments were ST reserved. Tellam Venkat Rao, who contested from Bhadrachalam and lost is making efforts to contest from Dummgudem ZPTC.

Mr Tellam may stand a chance of being elected to the chairperson post if TRS wins a majority in Bhadradri. Koram Kanakaiah, who was defeated by Haripriya Naik in Yellandu, is likely to contest from Tekulapalli ZPTC, as it is not difficult to get a TRS ticket for Tekulapalli. Another defeated legislator, Thati Venkateswartlu is also considering to contest, from Mulakalapalli mandal. The former legislator is facing embarrassment after Congress MLAs have shown interest in joining TRS.

Payam Venkateswarlu, who was defeated by Rega Kantha Rao of Congress may find it difficult as Rega Kantha Rao has decided to side with Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in Telangana. This has forced Mr Payam to contest from Karakagudem ZPTC.

The post of the zilla parishad chairperson is considered to be more powerful than that of a ruling party MLA. Besides being given an official vehicle, rural development works and schemes are under the ZP chairperson. The state and Central government have released crore of rupees for rural development which have to be executed by the zilla parishad.