HYDERABAD: The state leadership of the BJP has managed to convince Swamy Goud, a Telangana Non-Gazetted Officers (TNGO) Association veteran, into campaigning for the saffron party in the forthcoming elections from the two graduate constituencies in the state.
Swamy Goud has been TNGO president for several years, played a key role in separate Telangana movement, became an MLC and went on to become chairman of the State Legislative Council. He had been keeping away from politics for quite some time after being sidelined by the TRS.
That is why BJP thought of roping him in. The TNGO leader is believed to still have quite some influence among employees in the state who are sizeable in terms of their votes in graduate constituencies.
While being part of Telangana movement and subsequently TRS, Swamy Goud had been successful in getting better fitment for employees for the first time. The BJP hopes to cash in on this section through Swamy Goud, who also continues to have backing of some leaders of the NGOs.
Swamy Goud has started his campaign on behalf of the BJP from Nalgonda and has entered Warangal. He has been interacting with employees, students and retired employees unions. The BJP is banking on disaffection within government employees with ruling TRS for its U turn on employees’ issues.
However, it is not known how successful Swamy Goud will be in his endeavour, as major employee unions of Telangana are with the TRS.
Meanwhile, many ministers of the state cabinet are campaigning for ruling TRS candidates, including Harish Rao, Srinivas Goud and Gangula Kamalakar. They have been focusing on employee unions in a bit to win their support. That is also the reason why BJP decided to rope in Swamy Goud, along with other key leaders.
