Hyderabad: Sentiments and superstitions play a big role in Indian politics. Leaders and their followers believe seemingly strange sentiments and superstitions. One such these days is about the letter "R" which has become popular of late, due to the defection of leaders from the TRS and Congress to the BJP.
The successful Telugu film RRR and the BJP’s threat of unleashing its own ‘RRR’ has added to this trend.
Leaders whose names start with the letter R have either made it big in the BJP or are garnering political attention these days.
The case of ‘R-leaders’ M. Raghunandan Rao and Etala Rajendar who got elected as MLAs trouncing the TRS in byelections is widely cited. Politicians also point to the recent instance of Congress MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy, who is grabbing the headlines with his decision to quit Congress and join BJP.
With this, leaders having names starting with R in the TRS and Congress, and even leaders with the Rao or Reddy tag, are being looked at with suspicion.
With BJP leaders repeatedly claiming that several leaders from TRS and Congress were in touch with them, the focus has shifted towards
‘R-leaders’ in both these parties.
There are dozen MLAs in TRS whose names begin with R. They include Redya Naik, Ramesh Aroori, Rajaiah Thatikonda, Ravidra Kumar Ramavath, Ramanna Jogu, Rakha Naik, Rasamayi Balakishan, Ravi Shankar Sunke, Ramesh Chennamaneni, Rammohan Reddy Chittem, Rohit Reddy P and Rega Kantha Rao.
From TRS MLCs, the list includes Rajeshwar Reddy Palla, Raju Shambhipur, D. Rajeshwar Rao, T. Ravinder Rao T and L. Ramana.
There are also three MPs in TRS with R-letter — G. Ranjith Reddy (Lok Sabha), P. Ramulu (Lok Sabha) and V. Ravichandra (Rajya Sabha).
Strangely, of the six Congress MLAs there is no one whose name begins with R. Of the three Congress Lok Sabha members, only TPCC
chief A. Revanth Reddy's name starts with R. But if "Reddy" word is also taken into account, all the three Congress MPs belong to the community — Revanth Reddy, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. Among the noted leaders from Congress whose names start with R are former deputy CM Damador Rajanarasimha.
However, TRS and Congress dismiss these superstitions saying if names starting with R or Reddy or Rao are taken into account, even Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar Rao, K.R. Rama Rao, T. Harish Rao and for that matter dozens of leaders from all parties would come into this list. Does that mean they would also join BJP, a leader asked.
