KCR surveys find MLAs treat constituencies as weekend holidays
CM serious as legislators spend most of their time in Hyderabad and do not visit their constituents
Hyderabad: TRS president and Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar Rao is learnt to have taken a serious view of TRS MLAs spending most of their time in Hyderabad and not being available to their constituencies. Rao is expected to issue strict instructions to TRS MLAs to confine themselves to their constituencies for the remaining 14 months of their tenure at a joint meeting of TRS MLAs, MLCs, and MPs on Tuesday at Telangana Bhavan.
While the 2023 Assembly elections are only a year away, party sources claim that surveys being commissioned by the CM revealed that the TRS MLAs were mostly seen in Hyderabad and did not visit their constituencies, causing public resentment.
It was found that MLAs have appointed incharges for their constituencies, who are mostly family members, relatives, close aides, and friends who handle the responsibilities on behalf of the MLAs. They accept petitions from the people and refer them to MLAs for resolution. However, this has given the impression to the people that MLAs’ family members and close aides were acting as “extra constitutional authorities” and engaging in irregularities.
The surveys reportedly found that the majority of the MLAs spend their weekdays in Hyderabad and their weekends visiting constituencies. Few ministers are said to visit constituencies once every two weeks, unless they are required to participate in official programmes such as inaugurations or the laying of foundations for various projects.
The CM is said to be annoyed with MLAs for spending too much time in Hyderabad and leaving their constituencies to family members and others. Rao believes that there is no need for ministers to spend significant time in Hyderabad as the departmental review meetings or Cabinet meetings are not being held as frequently as they were in undivided Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, ministers are not required to discharge their duties from the Secretariat because
Telangana has been without a permanent Secretariat since August 2019 due to the demolition of the old Secretariat and construction of new Integrated Secretariat Complex, and all departments are working from temporary accommodations in the BRS Bhavan and elsewhere in the city. Ministers rarely visit these temporary offices and perform their duties.