Plum posts entice TRS cadre

Warangal: Notwithstanding the stupendous victory it recorded in the recent elections to the Assembly, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leadership seems to be taking no chances for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls where it targets 16 out of 17 seats in the State. Both the Lok Sabha seats encompassing the erstwhile Warangal district – Warangal (SC) and Mahabubabad (ST) - are in reserved category and are currently held by the TRS.

Although earlier reports indicated that all sitting MPs are likely to be renominated in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, it appears like that writing is on the wall for some of the sitting MPs, who are likely to be discarded.

The speculation is rife that TRS leadership is scrutinising the retention of both the sittings MPs of Warangal and Mahabubabad – Pasunuri Dayakar and Azmeera Seetharam Naik. The preparatory meetings of senior leaders addressed by the TRS working president KT Rama Rao suggest that party leadership is determined to elicit information about the aspirants and poll strategy.

This apart, the TRS leadership is likely to measure the hard work of its leaders in the Lok Sabha polls and take it into consideration for the nominated posts. With the Cabinet expansion and the filling of nominated posts is likely to happen after Lok Sabha polls, it likely to keep all the aspirants on toes. Many aspirants are keeping their fingers crossed with at least a couple of prominent posts in addition to nominated posts are expected to be given to Warangal.

The leaders aspiring for Minister posts are former deputy chief ministers Kadiyam Srihari and Thatikonda Rajaiah, six-time MLA DS Redya Naik and four-time MLA Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar. Senior leaders like former minister Basavaraju Saraiah, Gudimalla Ravi Kumar and Thakkallapally Ravinder Rao are also waiting for their due.

On the other hand, it’s going to be a litmus test for Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao, who is the lone mantri from the erstwhile Warangal district, to home drive the TRS in Warangal and Mahabubabad constituencies.

The Minister, who is camping in Warangal, is coordinating with region’s MLAs and senior leaders to make KTR’s preparatory meeting a purposeful one.

Speaking to The Hans India, a senior TRS leader, who wanted be anonymous, said: “The workmanship of several leaders will be under the scanner and based on their commitment, the TRS leadership is likely to give them plum posts. The strategy is likely to pay dividends for the party in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.”