Paddy protests expose rift among TRS ranks

Warangal: Internal bickering in the ruling TRS made more news than the party's Statewide protest on Thursday demanding the BJP-led Central Government to procure paddy.

Differences in politics within a party are common phenomenon but the timing of a leader showing dissent on another at a protest indicates that all is not well in that party.

This is exactly what the Mahbubabad MLA Banoth Shankar Naik has done to Lok Sabha member and the party's district in-charge Maloth Kavitha at the Rythu Deeksha. When Kavitha started her speech, Shankar Naik rushed to the dais and snatched away the mike from her hands. Kavitha was visibly shaken by Shankar Naik's behaviour; however, she kept her cool and sat beside MLC Takkalllapally Ravinder Rao with teary eyes. She was seen apprising him of the incident. It happened in full view of the TRS cadres. The Minister for Tribal Welfare Satyavathi Rathod and Dornakal MLA DS Redya Naik, Kavitha's father, were also present when the incident happened.

Although both the leaders represent Mahbubabad – one in the Assembly and the other one in the Lok Sabha – the duo was nursing a grudge against each other for a long time. When the minister mentioned Shankar Naik as the presiding leader in her opening words at the meeting, Redya Naik suggested her to mention the name of Kavitha instead as the latter is the party's in-charge of the district.

Elsewhere in Warangal TRS leaders' protest programme at O City colony, Warangal East MLA Nannapuneni Narender was conspicuously absent. However, he appeared at the protest scene as soon as the Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao finished his speech and left. Although, there was no particular reason to specify, Narender appears to be adamant to mingle with other leaders, it's said.

However, it's a known fact that there was a rift between Narender and Pradeep Rao, Errabelli's younger brother. It's said that Pradeep Rao is a strong contender for the Warangal East seat in the next elections.

"It's surprising that Narender didn't come on time to the protest organised by the TRS district unit. Moreover, the O City colony, the protest venue, falls in his constituency," a senior TRS leader told The Hans India. A few days ago, Narender's followers allegedly tore away the flexis put up by Pradeep Rao, greeting Road Development Corporation chairman Mettu Srinivas, the leader recalled.