Warangal: Political clout Errabelli v/s all and sundry

Warangal: While Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao leads the TRS pack taking the cudgels of campaigning in the election to the Greater Warangal Municipal Corporation (GWMC), the Congress and the BJP also pack a punch by lining up their star campaigners. For the BJP, its State president Bandi Sanjay had already hit the Warangal roads on Saturday, hurling a bagful of salvos at the ruling TRS.

The Congress may be without the services of its State chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who was down by Covid-19, but it has MP and TPCC working president A Revanth Reddy in its armour. Revanth has a day-long hectic schedule on Monday to lift the morale of the Congress candidates in the fray for the GWMC. Along with him, MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, party's GWMC poll convener MLC T Jeevan Reddy and his deputy D Sridhar Babu, will also participate in the electioneering.

Despite the absence of its top brass of leaders Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, TRS working president KT Rama Rao, who both tested positive for Covid-19, and trouble shooter T Harish Rao, the TRS appears to be oozing with confidence since their turnaround in the recent elections to the two Graduate Council seats.

Errabelli, a seasoned politician who knows inside out about poll management, has been busy manoeuvring his forces carefully. By winning the GWMC, he wants to prove a point that he has complete political sway over the erstwhile Warangal district.

"The outcome of the GWMC election is a litmus test for Errabelli. It's a huge opportunity for him to strengthen his position in Warangal – keeping him a notch ahead of other powerful leaders in the region.

In fact, the absence of KCR, KTR and Harish Rao gives him an opportunity to pitchfork himself into the top bracket of TRS leaders," a senior TRS leader told The Hans India, on condition of anonymity.

Since the announcement of elections to the Warangal urban local body, it's been Errabelli all over. His political clout could probably seal the fortune of other senior leaders in the party, who pinned their hopes on minister posts, he added.