Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has decided to induct more leaders from the Telugu Desam in Telangana state into the TRS, in an attempt at that looks like taking over the entire Telangana TD.
A source close to the CM disclosed that Mr Rao wants the TD to be confined to Andhra Pradesh. He has started speaking to a few TD leaders about this and is encouraging his confidants to get in touch with TD leaders and persuade them to join the TRS.
CM to address caste-wise conventions
The reasoning is that since the BJP has announced that it will contest elections on its own, and several TD leaders do not want to make political adjustments with arch-rival Congress, the only alternative left for them is the TRS.
The Chief Minister is also keen to have his long-time friend and former TD minister Mandava Venkateswara Rao join the TRS and has entrusted a senior party functionary with this mission.
Besides literally taking over the Telangana TD, the Chief Minister has also decided to address caste and community-wise conventions in the coming days, especially of influential communities such as Kammas and Reddys, and other forward and backward classes.
He has reportedly asked R&B minister Tummala Nageswara Rao to organise a ‘Kamma Sammelan’ before Diwali so that he can get to know what the community leaders want from the government. His attendance at the wedding of Sriram, son of the late Paritala Ravi, was for this purpose.
The source said, “Since KCR is going to change a number of sitting legislators for various reasons, including the bad reputation they have acquired among the public, he needs good people and strong leaders from other parties to be fielded as TRS candidates in the coming elections.”
The CM has taken prominent Kamma leaders and legislators along with him on his travels. He is keen to appeal to all sections and communities, sources say. It may be recalled that such community meetings were organised by IT minister K.T. Rama Rao last year before the GHMC elections and party tickets were given to members of influential sections who originally belonged to the Seemaandhra region.
