Sounding the election bugle, Telangana Rashtra Samithi president, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday directed Telangana people to vote for TRS nominees in the municipal, Assembly and Lok Sabha polls to ensure accelerated development of the new state.
“TRS is a secular party. You have seen the trouble we faced in Parliament recently as I was the lone MP. If we had 15 MPs, we would have called the shots at the Centre. Do not vote for MLA candidate of one party and MP of another. Vote for both Telangana Rashtra Samithi candidates. We should win both the seats to ensure a golden Telangana,” he said.
Mr Rao was addressing the first public meeting after formation of Telangana and announcement of election schedule at Gadwal in Mahbubnagar district, 200 km from here, where YSRC in-charge, Mr B. Krishnamohan Reddy, ex-municipal chairman, Mr Keshav, ex-MLA, Mr Gattu Bheemudu and others joined the TRS. He did not mention alliance with any party. Mr Rao promised to construct a new barrage across Krishna River at Gurramgadda, 8 km from Beechpally to provide irrigation to 14 lakh acres in Kollapur, Wanaparathy, Gadwal, Alampur, Nagarkurnool, Deverkadra and other Assembly segments in Mahbubnagar district. He said he would fight for Telangana’s share of irrigation to 87,500 acres from the controversial RDS project where the region presently gets water for only 30,000 acres.
“I will ensure we get our share of water. In 2002, when I undertook padayatra, Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy, Bhooma Nagi Reddy threatened to throw bombs,” he recalled.
The TRS chief is on a political recruitment spree, targeting YSRC and TD, especially in areas where the party does not have a stronghold like Mahbubnagar, Ranga Reddy and Khammam.
Asking people to shun faction politics in Gadwal, he announced Mr Krishnamohan Reddy as party candidate in Gadwal Assembly constituency, Mr Gattu Bheemudu for MLC while Mr Keshav or his nominee would fight the municipal polls.
“Politics must change in Gadwal. We should put an end to factionalism and strive to live in peace and harmony to ensure development,” he said. Taking a dig at both Congress and TD, he said people have seen their rule and they should now give a chance to Telangana Rashtra Samithi to ensure rapid development of Telangana.
He made a slew of promises including ST status for Valmiki community (presently BCs), regularisation of contract staff, rope Girijan thandas into panchayats, end migration of labourers from Mahbubnagar among others.
