The Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) suffered a setback with tribal legend Komaram Bheem’s grandson Komaram Sonerao joining the YSR Congress. Bheem’s fight against the Nizam for self-rule is considered a forerunner of the ongoing movement for Telangana statehood.

This development has send the wrong message to the people of Telangana and the TRS can’t claim adivasi support as long as Sonerao is in the YSR Congress. Many adivasi leaders from the district who joined TRS deserted the party later. Even today, adivasis of Telangana respect Sonerao.

Komaram Sonerao had joined the TRS but was never given importance, and as a result he had become inactive and had cut of relations with the party. Sonerao’s case proved that political leaders wanted Komaram Bheem’s patronage for the sake of image but his family was never given priority in any form.

Speaking to this newspaper, YSR Congress leader Soyam Bapurao, who played the key role in bringing Sonerao into the party, said that Mr Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised to give importance to adivasis and had even assured a party ticket to Sonerao if he was interested in contesting the elections.

An unanimous resolution was passed in the Girjirjan Darbhar demanding that the state government allot 2.5 acres to Sone Rao on the occasion of Bheem’s death anniversary which was organised at Jodeghat in September, 2011. Bhem’s family was living in pathetic conditions even 70 years after Komuram Bheem’s supreme sacrifice for Adivasi rights on September 1, 1940.

Adivasis feel that they had been neglected by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) since a long time while giving importance to the Lambadas. Adivasi leaders asked why the TRS high command had never given a good post to Adivasis even in its tribal wing. Adivasis alleged that the TRS had shown bias in allocating seats during elections in the last 10 years.

Adivasi say that Lambada leaders were made president of the TRS tribal wing continuously, and an Adivasi candidate was never given that post. Adivasi leaders said that Ravindra Naik was an MP from Warangal who played an active role in the TRS but Ramulu Naik was made politburo member and president of the tribal wing.