The district headquarters town turned pink on Friday with the arrival of Dharmapuri Srinivas for the first time after being elected Member of Rajya Sabha and subsequent swearing-in ceremony in the Upper House recently in New Delhi.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) activists and Mr. Srinivas’ followers gave him a rousing reception and took him in an impressive 30-kilometre rally from the toll gate on National Highway-44 at Indalwai to the town. Scores of motorbike mounted followers shouting slogans in support of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the ruling party ran before his vehicle. A large number of people followed him in cars.
They erected innumerable pink hoardings, flags and vinyl boards carrying pictures of the Chief Minister and MP K. Kavitha on both sides of the road. On his arrival, Mr. Srinivas planted a sapling near the toll gate and performed special pooja at Sai Baba temple at Madhavanagar.
Tributes to martyrs
After paying tributes to Telangana martyrs at their obelisk at Vinayaknagar, he proceeded to the Rajiv Gandhi auditorium where a public meeting was held in an open top vehicle. His younger brother and TRS leader D. Surender, party district president E. Ganga Reddy, ZPTC member Puppala Shobha, and others accompanied him.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Srinivas said the people have given power to Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao believing that a golden Telangana would be possible only under him.
“I had coordinated the Telangana movement using my influence in Delhi and with Sonia Gandhi from time to time. The credit of running the agitation without a single incident of violence goes to Mr. Rao,” he added.
Thanking the TRS chief for making him a Rajya Sabha member, Mr. Srinivas said that he would never dash the hopes of the former in strengthening his hands for the achievement of golden Telangana. He went on to say that the new State is already ranked number one in the implementation of welfare schemes and developmental programmes under the leadership of Mr. Rao.
