Hyderabad: With the state elections inching closer, BRS leaders who lost the elections last time around and those who were accommodated in other roles across 25 Assembly constituencies are getting itchy feet again, holding meetings with their supporters and demanding that the party not give tickets to sitting MLAs of their segments.
In what may be described as a rebellion, these leaders are warning that they would not work for the party’s victory if they are overlooked, with some even threatening to break away from the party and take their support base with them.
One such issue is at Mahbubabad, where MLA Shankar Naik is facing resistance in his constituency, after around 30 local BRS leaders, including municipal councillors, ZPTCs, MPTCs and sarpanchs, held a meeting last Saturday and passed a resolution demanding that the party leadership replace the sitting MLA.
These leaders, believed to be the supporters of MLC T. Ravinder Rao, conveyed a strong message to the party leadership that Naik lost public support and that he was bound to lose the election if given a ticket. They made it clear that they would not work for the party if Naik contested for this seat. They said they would support any other candidate and will ensure the party’s victory in the Assembly polls.
Similarly, ‘rebels’ in Wardhannapet constituency — which is represented by MLA Aroori Ramesh — held a meeting on Monday, to pass a resolution demanding that the party leadership field another candidate this time around. They said Ramesh lost the support of the people of his constituency.
Local leaders, again, threatened they would not work for the party if Ramesh is fielded.
The meeting created a stir in BRS circles as Ramesh also holds the post of the Warangal district president.
With rebels openly opposing the candidature of the party’s district president and incumbent MLA, the BRS MLAs in other constituencies of Warangal are also fearful of their prospects.
Sources said that the BRS is witnessing rebel activity in Nagarjunasagar constituency, against MLA Nomula Bhagat, in Munugode against MLA Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy, in Nakrekal, against MLA Chirumarthi Lingaiah, in Chevella, against MLA Kale Yadaiah, in Nalgonda, against MLA Kancharla Bhupal Reddy, in Bellampalli, against MLA Durgam Chinniah, in Asifabad, against MLA Athram Sakku, in Mancherial, against MLA N. Diwakar Rao, in Khanapur, against MLA Ajmera Rekha Naik, in Vemulawada, against MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh, in Zaheerabad, against MLA K. Manik Rao, in Uppal, against MLA Bethi Subhash Reddy, in Amberpet, against MLA Kaleru Venkatesh, in Alampur, against MLA V.M. Abraham, in Kothagudem, against Vanama Venkateshwara Rao, in Palair, against MLA K. Upender Reddy and in Makhtal, against MLA Chittem Rammohan Reddy.
