Hyderabad: A power struggle has broken out between the old and new of TRS leaders and cadre in the organisational polls.
Trouble began during the party membership drive and it has spread to organisational elections, with founding members and new entrants trying to corner key posts.
The problem is quite acute in Ranga Reddy, Warangal and Khammam districts where leaders from the Telugu Desam, Congress, BJP, BSP and other parties joined the TRS recently.
“The old guard is upset with the attempt of the new entrants to dominate the party. Some new entrants are trying to corner posts wherever they have strong support. This has irked founder members,” a founder member of TRS and legislator said.
Chief Minister and TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao scrapped the all party committees and set up a 12-member steering panel headed by MLC Palla Rajeswar Reddy to oversee the membership drive and organisational elections. The elections are to be completed before the April 24 party plenary at LB Stadium.
“This is inevitable in any party. Why single out TRS? You have seen it in the Congress, TD and the BJP. Every prominent leader wants his persons on the committees. There are always two groups and trouble begins. But the word of the boss is final,” another TRS legislator said.
Mr Rao, who got wind of the power struggle, asked senior party leaders to quell the unrest and ensure all fall in line in the interest of the party. But the trouble continues.
In Khammam, supporters of roads and buildings minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Parliamentary secretary Jalagam Venkat Rao and TRS leader Rajender do not see eye to eye.
In Ranga Reddy district, there is friction between supporters of transport minister P. Mahender Reddy and senior TRS leader K. Harishwar Reddy and others. Though both came from the TD, Mr Harishwar Reddy is the senior leader but lost the during the 2014 polls. Mr Mahender Reddy holds sway over the district with his wife being the ZP chairperson.
Mandal committee elections in Vikarabad had to be put off as rival groups clashed in front of district party president Nagender Goud and Vikarabad MLA Sanjeeva Rao.
In Warangal, supporters of MLA Redya Naik and Satyavathi Rathod are at each other’s jugular. Skirmishes have also been reported from Parkal Assembly constituency.
