Former Health Minister Eatala Rajender has alleged he had received information about a threat to his life during his ‘padayatra’ with a Minister from the district conspiring to join hands with criminals for the job.
“I am not afraid. I did not flinch when notorious gangster Nayeem was after me. My people will see to it that not a fly comes near me,” he said on Monday.
Addressing a gathering on the first day of his 25-day, 270 km walkathon, Mr. Rajendra charged Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao of unveiling ‘Dalit Bandhu’ scheme only to defeat him in Huzurabad bypoll.
ADVERTISEMENT
“Mr. Rao is running a government of Razakars. He remembers new schemes only during elections and does not want to explain why three acres were not given to dalits or houses not built as promised. I welcome the 'Dalit Bandhu', I demand the scheme be implemented in all constituencies to at least 10,000 dalits,” he said.
The former Minister, now with the BJP, challenged Mr. Rao saying: If you have guts, implement the scheme for all poor families. He has woken up from slumber in his farmhouse and this scheme has come about because of my resignation - so I am happy, same goes with pensions also. He starts schemes for selfish gains, not because of any real love for people. Who knows him better than me.
My family has always fought against oppression and hence I quit TRS not willing to tolerate slavery any more, he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
"This is a fight for justice. Take whatever the TRS offers but lend your support to me," appealed Mr. Rajender.
Accusing the State government of trying to put hurdles in his path by threatening his supporters, he said the walkathon began only after taking all necessary permissions, hence it is the responsibility of the administration to ensure a smooth path, he said.
The TRS leaders prompted by Mr. Rao have been resorting to "cheap tricks" to sabotage my plans because of the fear of losing the byelection, he said.
"We have put our faith in justice and fair play, people will surely teach a lesson to those causing fear in them. The beginning of the end of Mr. Rao's dictatorial rule has begun and we will soon get rid of this regime as Dubbak will be repeated," he said.
Mr. Rajender began his ‘padayatra’ after praying at the Anjaneya Swamy Temple at Bathinavani in Kamalapur mandal and prior to that his wife Jamuna applied 'tilak' on his forehead at his residence and also for fellow BJP leaders like Vivek Venkatswamy, former MLA E. Ravinder Reddy and others.
Amid slogan shouting, the walkathon began and for the nearly a month, Mr. Rajender is expected to visit 127 villages of his constituency. Dubbak MLA M. Raghunandan Rao and other senior party senior leaders like G. Premender Reddy, K. Vijayarama Rao, Jitender Reddy and so on were present.