A day after Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao decided to effect a cabinet expansion and made certain appointments, resentment is brewing among some seniors particularly Dalit MLA Koppula Eashwar from Dharmapuri, who was made the Chief Whip.
The move to confine Mr. Eashwar, who had aspired to become a Minister, as the Chief Whip did not go down well with his supporters and with the legislator himself. His supporters and Mala Mahanadu activists were on the roads in Karimnagar protesting against ignoring his seniority.
The senior legislator himself told his followers that he was disappointed with the decision to make him Chief Whip. “I have been associated with the party since its inception and I expected a cabinet berth in the first spell itself. I was still nursing the hope of making it to the cabinet during expansion, but I was humiliated by denying me a cabinet post”, he told his supporters.
Sources said that the Dharmapuri and Korutla MLAs, the latter being K. Vidyasagar Rao who was also reported to be unhappy over reports of being overlooked, received a call from the Chief Minister and they rushed to Hyderabad in the afternoon. Mr. Eashwar is the only Mala legislator from the TRS in the district and have won five times having made his debut in 1994 from Medaram assembly seat as TDP member.
Many TRS supporters from the Dharmapuri assembly segment came to Karimnagar town and staged a rasta roko at Telangana chowk, raising slogans against KCR. A TRS MPTC member from Velgatoor mandal Venkatesh attempted self-immolation in Karimnagar town. However, the police swung into action and prevented the mishap.
An effigy of the Chief Minister was burnt by the women’s wing of Mala Mahanadu. Similar protests were also organised in Dharmapuri temple town by the TRS leaders.
