New entrants rattle TRS MLAs

Hyderabad: TRS legislators are tense about the prospects of getting tickets for the 2019 elections with the party leadership selectively approving defection of leaders from other parties. 

Though party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has repeatedly assured sitting MLAs that almost all of them would be re-nominated for the elections, several leaders from other parties are being taken into the party fold selectively.

This is already leading tussles between the MLAs and the new entrants in Assembly constituencies, throwing the party cadre into disarray,

The TRS had won the 2014 Assembly elections with a simple majority by bagging 63 seats out of total 119 seats. With defections from Opposition parties and mergers, the TRS’ strength has increased to 90. 

Many of the defected legislators are still listed as being in their original parties in the Assembly.

After taking Opposition MLAs, the party leadership is admitting Opposition leaders who enjoy considerable clout in Assembly constituencies which are currently represented by party legislators.

This is creating fears among sitting MLAs that they may be denied the party ticket and the party is admitting Opposition leaders from their constituencies to prepare alternatives for 2019.

In Mahbubabad, sitting MLA Shankar Naik is feeling insecure over former MLA Kavitha from the same constituency getting prominence.

Khanapur MLA Rekha Naik is opposing the entry of TD former MP Ramesh Rathod.

The entry of TD senior leader Gandra Satyanarayana into the TRS is creating a rift between the supporters of Speaker Madhusudhana Chary, represents Bhoopalpally constituency.

Even party incharges where the TRS candidates lost in 2014 are opposing the entry of Opposition leaders, feeling insecure over their candidature for 2019 elections.

Nalgonda TRS incharge Dubbaka Narasimha Reddy is strongly opposing the entry of TD leader K.Bhoopal Reddy.

The supporters of sitting MLAs are demanding clarity for TRS party leadership whether or not their leaders will get to contest the 2019 elections. Based on this, the cadres want to chart out their future course of action.