Many leaders skip KTR’s meet on MLC polls

Hyderabad: Important leaders of the party skipped the meeting called by BRS working president KT Rama Rao on Wednesday to chalk out a strategy for the Council elections under the Graduates constituency of Nalgonda-Warangal-Khammam.

KTR had called the meeting with leaders of Nalgonda, Warangal and Khammam for deciding a strategy to elect party candidate Rakesh Reddy. Sources said the invite was sent to over 120 leaders, but only around 60 attended the meeting. Senior leaders like former minister E Dayakar Rao, Peddi Sudarshan Reddy, Challa Dharma Reddy, T Ravinder Rao, Vasudev Reddy, Sandra Venkataramana Reddy, Palle Ravi, Karne Prabhakar and others from the three districts skipped the meeting.

The leaders like former minister G Jagadish Reddy, Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Puvvada Ajay Kumar, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy attended the meeting. Sources said Rao asked senior leader Rajeshwar Reddy to take the responsibility of ensuring victory of Rakesh Reddy. Rajeshwar Reddy was the two-time MLC under this graduates constituency from the BRS party. Along with this senior leaders Jagadish Reddy was given the responsibility of Nalgonda and Ajay Khammam district.

Rao asked party leaders to organise ‘Aatmiya Sammelans’ with graduates, teachers in the constituency in the run up to the election. The election is slated to be held on May 27. Rakesh Reddy will be facing former journalist and Congress leader Teenmar Mallanna alias Chintapandu Naveen.

The BRS leader attacked the Congress candidate calling him a blackmailer. Rao said, “People should elect an educated person like Rakesh Reddy and reject blackmailer; otherwise there is a risk that he may become a gangster like Nayeem.”