Stop CM campaign, KTR warns leaders

Hyderabad: Irked by the recent drumming up of demand for the coronation of K T Rama Rao as the Chief Minister, KTR on Thursday warned party men to stop making such demands. He asked them not to talk about his political future and push the party into a state of embarrassment.

According to sources, during a meeting of the Khammam party leaders at Pragathi Bhavan on Thursday, the TRS working president expressed his displeasure over the party leaders taking up a campaign to make him the chief minister. It is learnt that Minister G Kamalakar and Bodhan MLA Md Shakeel and other MLAs got telephone calls from the party high command asking them not to make any statements demanding that KTR would become the Chief Minister soon.

Sources also said that the party was unhappy with the recent comment of Health Minister E Rajender who said that the stage was set for KTR to become the CM and "If the need for change arises, Chief Minister KCR will himself hand over the reins to KTR. He also opined that there is no harm in a change in CM at this time." He said on many occasions when the chief minister was not able to attend a function or meeting, KTR has been substituting for him.

Interestingly, Deputy Speaker Padma Rao on Thursday joined the issue and said that KTR should become the chief minister. KTR is said to have expressed his displeasure over this. "I have been telling party leaders not to talk on the subject, but you have raised this once again," he told the deputy speaker.

KTR also expressed his unhappiness over the infighting among Khammam leaders at a time when the local body elections were nearing. Sources said that the TRS leader expressed disappointment over the behaviour of the MLAs. He called upon the seniors and juniors to bury their differences and work for the party's victory. "MLAs may come and go but there is a need to have strength in the district. All the leaders should work with coordination and work for the party," he told them.

Rao told the leaders that the party had won only one seat in the elections in 2014 and also in 2018 elections. This has to change now and the party needs to improve the performance. The party should not take the ensuing Municipal Corporation election and council election for the Graduates quota lightly. He said party should win at any cost.

In a related development, TRS leader Tummala Nageswara Rao met KTR one on one. The 10-minute meeting assumes importance since he was said to be sulking for some time.