KCR, Etala bonhomie takes House by surprise

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Sunday displayed an unusual level of camaraderie with BJP MLA Etala Rajendar in the Assembly, requesting him to speak even after the Speaker had cut off his microphone while repeatedly referring to him as a "friend and brother," which sparked speculation that Rajendar may rejoin the BRS.

Interestingly, Rao who had stripped Rajendar of the health and family welfare portfolio following allegations of land grabbing, which drove him to join the BJP, noted down all the requests made by the BJP MLA and immediately addressed them.

The CM took Rajendar's name 18 times in his two-hour speech while referring to him as his brother, surprising not only the Congress and the BJP but also ruling BRS MLAs.

The camaraderie, however, did not seem to affect Rajendar. Speaking outside the Assembly, made it clear that he would not join the BRS. “The Chief Minister strategically used my name several times in his speech to damage my political prospectus,” the Huzurabad BJP MLA stated.

The CM had ignored Rajendar in the House since he was sacked from the Cabinet in May 2021, forcing him to quit the TRS, resign as MLA and join the BJP in June 2021. Although Rajendar defeated the TRS (now BRS) in the Huzurabad byelection in November 2021, he was not allowed to speak in the House until the Budget session. He was suspended from the House on the first day during two sessions held in 2022 in March and September.

The CM was never present when Rajendar spoke. On Sunday, though, things were different. After the lunch break and before Rajendar began speaking, the CM entered the House. Rao heard every word Rajendar said. On a few occasions, Rao was seen signalling to the BJP MLA to repeat his words.

In one instance, the CM even got out of his chair to instruct Rajendar to speak into the microphone to reiterate a few points he had made. The CM was also seen asking ministers Harish Rao, Puvvada Ajay, and Vemula Prashanth Reddy to note down the points raised by Rajendar.

While replying to the debate, the CM showered praises on Rajendar for suggesting the ‘Sanna Biyyam’ (quality rice) scheme for government school students when he was finance minister. The CM directed ministers and officials to implement Rajendar's request of increasing mess charges for the students in the government hostels as well as invite him to the meeting to discuss the mess charges and told them not to ignore the issue just because it was made by Rajendar. "Call Etala over the phone and take suggestions from him on mess charges," the CM said.

The CM also responded favourably to Rajendar's requests on increasing the TSRTC services in the rural areas, salary hike to guest lecturers working in the government colleges, salary hike to the IKP employees, release of interest free loan arrears to women self-help groups, among others.

Speaking to mediapersons later, Rajender made it clear that he would not join the BRS. “I have a status and commitment in politics and the people of Huzurabad elected me as MLA against the odds of the BRS,” he explained.

Rajendar said," I am not the kind of a person who changes parties. I didn't leave BRS. They threw me out after which I joined BJP. I am not the one to get excited just because KCR took my name several times. I will not forget how BRS leaders harassed me after I was thrown out of the party. I will not join BRS even if they call me".

Rajendar stated that he worked as a soldier when he was in the TRS and continues to work as a soldier in the BJP now. "When a few TRS MLAs met then AP CM Y.S. Rajashekar Reddy, a few persons created rumours that I will be joining the Congress. But I continued in TRS. I remain loyal to the party in which I am."

He said that the BJP was ready to face the elections and asserted that the party would form government in Telangana. The CM had targeted opposition MLAs to suppress their voice in the House, Rajendar said. No section was happy with the BRS rule. A few local body elected representatives had decided to die by suicide for delayed bills, he said. People were not in a mood to listen to the CM and his ministers, he said.