As the nominations for municipal polls closed and multiple aspirants from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) filing nominations, and not budging to the directives of the MLAs concerned, TRS working president K.T. Rama Rao himself decided to settle the issue.
Mr. Taraka Rama Rao on Saturday invited the MLAs facing the problem of barrage of aspirants for discussions and also to thrash out differences between different groups in their constituencies. Apart from giving directions, he also gave a stern warning to them that rebel candidates should not be in the fray after the last date for withdrawal was over.
However, dissident candidates, supporters of rival groups, who filed nominations across the State refused to withdraw totally. Labour Minister and Mechal MLA Ch. Malla Reddy and his rival in the constituency M. Sudheer Reddy met Mr. Rama Rao separately to explain their stand. Mr. Malla Reddy was embarrassed after Darga Dayakar Reddy, an aspirant for Mayor post in the Peerzadiguda Corporation, joined the Congress party in the presence of Malkajgiri MP A. Revanth Reddy.
Winning him over
Mr. Malla Reddy and TRS leader from Malkajgiri Marri Rajashekar Reddy went to the residence of Mr. Dayakar Reddy and are said to have convinced him to come back. The grievance of the dissident was that the Minister was trying to promote a new entrant J. Venkat Reddy.
Mr. Rama Rao individually spoke to several of TRS leaders, including Jaipal Yadav, Kasireddy Narayan Reddy, Rohith Reddy, Jupally Krishna Rao, Redya Naik, Koneru Konappa, Diwakar Rao, Gadari Kishore, Kranthi Kiran, B. Mallaiah Yadav and also ministers T. Srinivas Yadav and Niranjan Reddy.
Winning chances
The TRS working president said being the ruling party there was bound to be demand for tickets and more so for the confidence of winning. However, he asked the leaders to forget their personal differences and work with the ultimate goal of ensuring party candidates winning the elections. Some legislators gave details of how the rival groups were trying to sabotage the party.
While asking the MLAs to deal with the rebels, he also gave them directions on the campaign approach. He said local manifestos should be worked out taking into account local issues apart from reaching out to the beneficiaries of government schemes.
B forms to Sircilla
Mr. Taraka Rama Rao, who represents the Sircilla constituency, issued B forms to the candidates at the Telangana Bhavan. Party sources said that 91% of the B forms were given to Backward Classes in Sircilla Municipality.
