TRS pulls all stops to placate disgruntled MLC voters
They want some recognition in local bodies and they are seeking funds under their control to take up development projects
KHAMMAM: Leaders of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) are said to be leaving no stone unturned to address the disquiet among MPTCs, ZPTCs, councillors and corporators who have been accommodated in various resorts in Goa, ahead of the elections to the MLC seats under local bodies quota.
Many MPTCs and ZPTCs from Aswaraopet, Kothagudem, Wyra and Yellandu reportedly expressed their displeasure on the way the government and its leaders were treating them during their interaction with MLC Palla Rajeswar Reddy, who is a close associate of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. Sources said the same message reached the Chief Minister. The top brass of the TRS decided to find the problems first and address them later.
A TRS leader said the resentment among MPTCs and ZPTCs was unexpected and it should be addressed. Their bitterness would not be solved by giving money to cast their votes in favour of Tatha Madhusudan in the Khammam local bodies’ quota MLC elections.
“They want some recognition in local bodies and they are seeking funds under their control to take up development projects in their respective territorial constituencies,” he said.
Minister for transport Puvvada Ajay Kumar, Rajeswar Reddy, MLAs Haripriya Naik of Yellandu and Ramulu Naik of Wyra were in Goa to placate the disgruntled MPTCs and ZPTCs. The MLAs were asked to deal with the voters of their respective Assembly segments by the TRS leadership.
Ajay Kumar, who went to Goa to participate in a transport ministers’ meeting convened by the Centre, tried to placate the discontented local body representatives. Sources said the minister was asked to take a lead role in the elections and ensure not to lose TRS votes at any cost.
It may be recalled here that the state government released Rs 250 crore recently to the zilla parishad and mandal parishads as per the recommendation of the 15th finance commission. The decision, it is learnt, was taken keeping in view the demand among the voters for funds to the local bodies.
Sattupalli MLA Venkata Veeraiah said there was no chance of casting TRS votes to other parties. “MPTCs and ZPTCs are in the right party,” he said. Other MLAs from the district would also go to Goa to counsel the voters, said our sources.
On the other hand, all voters will be brought to Hyderabad from Goa on December 8 by flights and as some of the ZPTCs were unhappy over shifting them to Goa by buses instead of flights.