TRS leaders all out to corner Etala Rajendar

KARIMNAGAR: The ouster of Etala Rajendar, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) MLA from Huzurabad, from the state Cabinet and the subsequent controversies have kicked up a storm in the political arena of Karimnagar district. Several ministers and senior leaders of the TRS are all hammer and tongs against the former health minister in their attempt to retain the seat in the wake of a possible byelection.

After Rajendar’s meeting with BJP Central leadership in Delhi and his announcement of quitting the TRS and the MLA post, TRS leaders are on the go to prevent any damage to the ruling party.

According to reliable sources, a meeting was held in the house of backward class welfare minister Gangula Kamalakar with minister Koppula Eswhar, Rajya Sabha member Captain Laxmikantha Rao, MLAs Peddi Sudharshan Reddy, V Satish Babu, Aroori Ramesh, Challa Dharma Reddy along with MLCs Palla Rajeswar Rao and Baswaraju Saraiah to discuss about the appointment of in-charges to the Huzurabad constituency.

Along with Gangula Kamalakar, finance minister T Harish Rao conducted several meetings with second-rung leaders of the TRS in Huzurabad constituency to prevent the TRS cadre going along with Rajendar, sources said.

The ministers started ‘operation Huzurabad’ to corner Rajendar from all sides. They are taking several steps not to leave any opportunity to Rajendar and also to prove the party’s supremacy in the upcoming byelections in Huzurabad.

The party supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is also likely to visit Karimnagar to inspect the arrangements made in the government hospital for Covid patients. He is likely to hold a review meeting with the concerned health officials and inquire about the medical treatment provided to the Corona patients in the district.

Tour of Chandrashekar Rao to Karimnagar district during the time when former minister Etala Rajendar is planning to quit the party created heated discussions in the political circles in the district.

Political analysts said Chandrashekar Rao was keen on the Rajendar issue and considered the Huzurabad byelections prestigious. His plan to visit the district might be a part of his strategy to ensure win in the bypoll, they said. After holding a meeting with TRS leaders in the district, he may give them proper directions to retain the Huzurabad seat, they opined.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that several leaders from not only Huzurabad constituency but also from the erstwhile Karimnagar who are in support of Etala Rajendar decided to leave the party after the submission of resignation by Rajendar to his MLA post.

Supporters of Rajendar held a meeting in Yellanthakunta mandal of Huzurabad constituency on Sunday and challenged the TRS leaders to come to the public arena with Chandrashekar Rao’s photo and they would come with Rajendar’s photo and let the people decide with whom they were standing.

Many public representatives, sarpanches, MPTCs, ZPTCs, councillors and MPPs of Huzurabad constituency won with Rajendar’s image but not with Chandrashekar Rao’s. They must remember that ministers and TRS leaders who were trying to lure them now would not stand for them after the byelections, they pointed out.