Jangaon: MLA's veiled attack on Srihari!

Station Ghanpur (Jangaon): The battle for one-upmanship between the two former Deputy Chief Ministers continues to haunt the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leadership. Station Ghanpur MLA Thatikonda Rajaiah chose the TRS party's 20th Formation Day to lash out at his antagonists.

Rajaiah, who hoisted the party flag on Monday, appeared agitated while addressing the party workers. He spoke at length about the indiscipline within the party. "Those inciting groupism in the party will not be spared, how big they may be. No one is bigger than the local MLA in a constituency. Everyone should coordinate with the MLA in carrying party activities," Rajaiah warned.

According to party sources, although, the MLA didn't mention anybody's name during his speech, his finger was reportedly pointing towards Srihari. It's learnt that the MLA was unhappy with some locals directly meeting the State leadership to handover their donations to the CM Relief Fund without coordinating with him.

The rivalry between the two senior pros - Kadiyam Srihari and Thatikonda Rajaiah - is dates back to 2004.

While Srihari represented the Station Ghanpur Assembly twice, Rajaiah has his ascendancy over the constituency, thereafter, by winning in 2009, 2012 by-poll, 2014 and 2018. The trouble started when Srihari joined the TRS before the 2014 general elections. In a dramatic turn of events, Rajaiah was replaced by Srihari as the deputy chief minister in 2015.

Apparently split into two factions, the party cadres demanded ticket for their leaders ahead of 2018 Assembly elections. However, with the intervention of TRS leadership, the issue was resolved and Rajaiah went on to win the election.