Telangana: With aim to strengthen party, TRS launches large-scale membership drive

Hyderabad: After spectacular victories in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections, the ruling TRS in Telangana is now focused on strengthening itself in the state.

Chief Minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao announced a schedule for membership drive, which begins today, and elections to party committees from the village level.

Addressing a meeting of the party's extended executive committee here, Rao said the membership drive would continue till February 20. Elections to party committees at different levels would be held during March and April.

The party would organise a public meeting at Parade Grounds here on April 27.

Rao also announced a group insurance scheme of Rs two lakh each for the 30 lakh party members. The party cadre need to take the government's welfare schemes to the people, he said.

He dismissed the opposition criticism, saying, "They are bereft of issues. They are criticising for the sake of it."

TRS would succeed in the next assembly elections as well, he added.

As to the media reports on a High Court verdict on elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, he said the court had not pulled up the government. Both GHMC and government are involved in ward delimitation process as per an earlier court order, he said.

The present civic infrastructure in Hyderabad was woefully inadequate, Rao said.

"This will become a real smart city, real global city. Nobody can stop. (They say) Would you sell Secretariat? 1,000 markets (vegetable etc) are needed. Should they be kept on the heads of Congress and TDP leaders? We do not sell. We will demolish ten quarters in Punjagutta colony and set up a magnificent market over an acre…," he said, referring to opposition criticism of the government's decision to shift the Secretariat.