Warangal: BRS mired in dissidence

Warangal : It appears that the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates constituency BRS candidate for the by-poll Anugula Rakesh Reddy is walking a tightrope with many top leaders of that party showing little concern over his candidature. They have been adamant since the party leadership announced Rakesh as its candidate. Even though the leaders expressed their unhappiness some 10 days ago, the BRS leadership persisted with his candidature. Apparently, it didn’t go down well with them.

The leaders were of the opinion that Rakesh who joined the party some six months ago was given undue importance. They contended that there are quite a few seniors who actively participated in the statehood agitation and waiting for an opportunity. “Party’s decision to field Rakesh is demoralising especially at a time when the leadership was facing a strong criticism that it always ignored the statehood heroes,” a BRS senior leader told The Hans India.

Meanwhile, several leaders including former minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, MLCs Baswaraj Saraiah, Pochampally Srinivas Reddy, T Ravinder Rao, former MLAs Challa Dharma Reddy and Peddi Sudarshan Reddy, KUDA former chairman S Sunder Raj Yadav, Nagurla Venkateshwarlu, K Vasudeva Reddy and several others didn’t attend the Council election preparatory meeting organised by BRS working president K T Rama Rao at Telangana Bhavan in Hyderabad on Wednesday. Former chief whip D Vinay Bhaskar who is also unhappy with the candidature of Rakesh attended the meeting after he received a call from KTR, it’s learnt.

There are 52 candidates in the fray for Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates Constituency. While Congress is backing Chintapandu Naveen alias Teenmar Mallanna as its candidate, the BJP renominated Gujjula Premender Reddy.

The polling is scheduled on May 27 and the counting of votes on June 5.