Hyderabad: Leaders and workers of the ruling TRS are sweating it out in the hot sun to boost the party ranks. While the membership drive is for the organisational setup planned before the TRS foundation day on April 27, workers are putting their heart and soul into the effort as the leadership is dangling party and nominated posts! Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao initially set a target of 50 lakh members, but as the membership drive attracted tremendous response, the target was revised to 75 lakh.
“There is tremendous response to the membership drive. So far, 60 lakh people have taken membership. We will give details district-wise, gender-wise in a couple of days,” Palla Rajeswar Reddy, TRS MLC and in-charge of membership drive told this newspaper. The membership fee has been fixed at Rs 30 for an ordinary members and Rs 100 for an active member. The recent spate of filling up of nominated posts by the TRS chief and his promise to give party posts soon has triggered a tough competition among the party leaders and cadre.
Rajesh Patel, in-charge of Kondurg mandal in Ranga Reddy district said, “People are coming in hordes to take membership. We have enrolled nearly 10,000 members so far including 3,000 active and 7,000 ordinary members.” IT minister K T Rama Rao, irrigation minister T. Harish Rao and other ministers besides senior party leaders are giving a big push to membership drive.
According to Palla Rajeswar Reddy, scores of NRIs in US, UK and other countries are taking membership thanks to immense confidence in Mr Chandrasekhar Rao’s leadership.
TRS is also focussing on increasing its presence in the Old City of Hyderabad where the party fared better than expected well in the GHMC polls. Deputy Chief Minister Mohd. Mahmood Ali is leading the membership drive in the Old City.
