Dozens of elected representatives including three MLCs and two MLAs and hundreds of their supporters threw in their lot with the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi, swearing by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his dream of a ‘Bangaru Telangana’ (Golden State), on Monday.
The MLCs and MLAs apart, there were several former MLAs, Zilla and Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituency members, Mandal Praja Parishad Presidents and Market Committee Chairpersons from several districts of Telangana. Among those who joined were MLCs Venkat Rao, Rajeshwar Rao and Yadava Reddy and MLAs Kanakaiah (Congress), B. Madanlal (YSR Congress). All of them received the pink scarf that symbolise the TRS.
Apart from Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao, the welcome committee for the newcomers, a majority of whom hailed from Khammam district, comprised Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council, Neti Vidyasagar, Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali, the party’s Secretary-General K. Keshav Rao, Ministers T. Harish Rao, Nayini Narsimha Reddy, Member of Parliament Kavitha and several MLAs including Jalagam Venkat Rao.
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Interestingly, the Chief Minister after welcoming the new entrants left soon without addressing them. The party office in Jubilee Hills was packed choc-a-bloc and the premises reverberated to slogans of ‘Jai Telangana’, with party leaders and cadres hailing Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao.
All those who addressed the gathering after formally joining the party said the only thing that had drawn them into the TRS fold was the Chief Minister’s development orientation and his dream of achieving a Golden State.