Hyderabad: Deputy Speaker T. Padma Rao Goud, a mass leader representing the Secunderabad Assembly constituency, is caught in a piquant situation. His constitutional post has restricted his movements so much so that he is peeved at times.
With the Lok Sabha elections round the corner, and political activity hotting up, protocol has kept the Deputy Speaker away from TRS meetings for the first time in his political career.
The other day Mr Padma Rao was informed about a TRS meeting to be chaired by party working president K.T. Rama Rao. Unsure, he consulted the Legislature Secretary who informed him as that per protocol he is supposed to attend only government and official meetings and not party meetings.
The official told Mr Padma Rao that in the past Ms Padma Devender Reddy as Deputy Speaker had attended some party meetings.
“It’s proving to be difficult to avoid attending party meetings publicly. I have no option but to follow the rule book to avoid controversy. This is the first time I am facing such a situation,” Mr Padma Rao told this newspaper.
Mr Padma Rao was a MCH councillor in the eighties, took part in the statehood agitation and was made excise minister in the first Cabinet of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. He is known for meeting people and party workers round the clock, at times till late into the night.
Mr Padma Rao missed a Cabinet berth this time but his former neighbour in Ghasmandi, Secunderabad, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, was reinducted with the same portfolio.
While Mr Yadav is involved in party meetings, Mr Goud has had to sit them out after being elected Deputy Speaker.
Mr Padma Rao visits Sitaphalmandi, his constituency, almost daily where he is supervising the construction of the Rs 12-crore government multipurpose convention hall for the benefit of locals.
Unlike in the past, Mr Padma Rao is forced to follow the rigid police demarcated route through the main roads when visiting the constituency and other places, with a convoy in town. “There are short-cut routes to some parts of the constituency but the police says no,” Mr Padma Rao said.
