K Chandrasekhar Rao to watch Etala Rajender’s moves, to react later

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is said to have decided not to act in a hurry on the comments of health minister Etala Rajender, who had on Thursday said that he did not have to beg for his Cabinet berth.

The TRS boss has decided to gauge the reactions to the comment in Backward Classes circles and also on social media platforms.

Mr Rao discussed the issue with his party confidants  and is said to have gagged TRS leaders from reacting to the comments.

Meanwhile the leaders of several Backward Classes associations on Friday called on Etala Rajender and expressed their solidarity with him.

Sources in the BC associations disclosed that the minister had told them that some leaders were systematically targeting him in order to malign him. They have been trying to do this since the Assembly elections and some of them had complained against him to the party chief.

Leaders of opposition parties, the BJP and the Congress, supported Mr Rajender. Senior Congress leader V. Hanumantha Rao applauded him for his statement and added that there was no reason for anyone to be afraid or to bow to anyone.

BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao had fired the first salvo on Thursday when he said this could be the beginning of a strong revolt in the ranks of the TRS.

Sources said Mr Rao told party leaders that he will take a call on the issue, though the comments of the minister were indirectly aimed at the party high command.

Sources close to BC organisations disclosed that the minister was upset due to reports that he will be replaced by another BC leader in the ensuing expansion or reshuffle of the Cabinet.

After Mr Rajender spoke out on Thursday night, TRS working president K. T. Rama Rao reportedly contacted him over the phone and spoke to him about the reason for his outburst.

Sources in the TRS revealed that after the conversation with Mr Rama Rao, Mr Rajender made a statement late at night stating that he was misquoted by some news channels.