Kadiyam-Rajaiah spat comes to fore again

Warangal: The rivalry between MLC Kadiyam Srihari and Station Ghanpur MLA Thatikonda Rajaiah dates back to the beginning of the millennium, when the two leaders were associated with Telugu Desam Party and Congress. And although, the two leaders are associated with the BRS (earlier known as TRS) currently, their rivalry appears to be unceasing. This is despite the warnings from their party leadership.

Even though the party leadership had warned both former deputy chief ministers to stay cool several times, sporadic verbal duel between them directly or indirectly has become common. The latest comments made by Kadiyam Srihari could possibly trigger another war of words between them. On Sunday taking part in Christmas celebrations in Station Ghanpur, Kadiyam Srihari said, "A people's representative should have the motto to serve the people. Politics is not all about looting and hiding it. Whether we are in power or not, we must work for the welfare of the people."

Kadiyam Srihari said that even though he was not representing the station Ghanpur constituency for over a decade he commands a lot of respect in the villages. "People come to me and say that the development they are witnessing was done during my term as MLA. It's heartening to listen," Kadiyam Srihari said. He recalled the development that took place in the region during his regime. Meanwhile, the remarks made by Kadiyam Srihari angered the followers of Rajaiah, it's learnt.

Kadiyam Srihari won the Station Ghanpur seat thrice - 1994, 1999 and 2008 on Telugu Desam ticket. Thereafter, Rajaiah won the seat in 2009, 2012 by-poll, 2014 and 2018. Rajaiah won the seat for the first time in 2009 on the Congress ticket. Later, he contested on the BRS ticket in the 2012 by-poll. Kadiyam joined the BRS in 2014 and got elected as MP from Warangal. Later, he replaced Rajaiah as the deputy chief minister in KCR government after the former was dropped from the Cabinet. KCR accommodated Kadiyam Srihari in the Legislative Council twice since then. However, it's said that Kadiyam is keen to contest from the Station Ghanpur seat. Obviously, it didn't go down well with Rajaiah.