No \'free-passes\' into politics, hard work for people is what counts: KTR

HYDERABAD: TRS working president and minister K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday said that being born in a political family at best works as an ‘entry pass’ with a ‘one-time use limit. Ater that, anyone in politics has to fend for himself or herself through hard work for the people.

Rama Rao said, “To all those who talk about dynastic politics, I say this. We have our challenges, but dynasty is only an entry pass. When I contested from Sircilla the first time, I won by a whisker, a mere 171 votes. The second time, I won by a 54,000-vote margin, the third time by a 68,000-vote margin, and in the last elections I won by 89,000 votes. Had people of Siriclla thought I was useless, they would not have voted for me repeatedly.”

He said entry into politics could be of different kinds. “I may have come as KCR’s son, someone else might come because they ran a good successful business and have money. Who you are will help you with your entry pass into politics. But this entry pass is only good for the first election.” Rama Rao was speaking at an event at the BR Ambedkar Open University on Saturday.

He added: “After that, it is of no use, it is a one-time card. However great you may think you are, people have the wisdom to dump a non-performers. We have seen the likes of Indira Gandhi, and N.T. Rama Rao losing elections. And we are not greater than them in popularity.”

In the end, it is the individual's competence and hard work that determine whether such a person is able to win the trust of people and continue in politics, he said.

Rama Rao’s comments came in the wake of repeated charges from opposition party leaders that he owes his place in the state government because his father is the Chief Minister of the state.