Khammam: Rebel trouble for TRS in Yellandu

Khammam: The ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi party is facing rebels' issue in Yellandu municipality with the rebels contesting all 24 wards along with party candidates. With this, the opposition is trying to take advantage of internal squabbles in the ruling party and trying to garner people's support. While Yellandu MLA B Haripriya and Tribal Minister Satyavathi Rathode are campaigning for TRS candidates, former municipal chairperson Rama and her husband Venkat Goud are campaigning for rebels.

The differences between Rama Goud and MLA Haripriya reached the zenith during the ticket allotment for the municipal polls. Rama Goud, who was elected as municipal chairperson from Congress party, later joined the TRS along with 16 councillors. However, she did not get any say in allotment of tickets for the upcoming polls. Meanwhile, Rama Goud followers alleged that the MLA deliberately ignored the candidates suggested by Goud and did not allocate even a single ticket to them. They also alleged that the MLA has been taking unilateral decisions without consulting any leaders or workers.

Refuting the charges floated by Goud's followers, the people from Haripriya's camp stated that tickets were only given to the winning horses, and the opposition was trying to take the mileage from the issue to garner people's support.

Meanwhile, the differences between the two leaders has become a headache for the party high command, especially to the Transport Minister Puvvada Ajay Kumar who is unable to take steps to bury the hatchet between the two leaders. With the elections nearing, the differences between the leaders has become a talk of the town and putting the party supporters and voters in the dilemma. While MLA Haripriya strongly believes that the candidates fielded by her would win the elections, Rama Goud is hopeful of people showing sympathy on her by voting for candidates suggested by her.