Hyderabad: As the Assembly elections approach and the political environment heats up, the BRS is getting sporty, literally, by playing the big game and drawing young people to the playfields in order to capture the poll ground for the third consecutive term.
The Chandrashekar Rao-led BRS government is seeking to use the ninth TS Formation Day celebrations on June 2 to reach out to those aged 15 to 36 years by organising the 'CM Cup 2023'. As part of its youth outreach initiative during the election season, the government intends to host large-scale sporting events in 18 disciplines from the mandal to the state level from May 15 to 31, with a target enrollment of three lakh youth.
District collectors have been tasked with making the CM Cup a spectacular success, while sports minister V. Srinivas Goud and Sports Authority of Telangana State (SATS) chairman Ediga Anjaneya Goud were drafted to make elaborate arrangements.
Two lakh youth have already enrolled for these tournaments, and the CM will award prizes to the champions on June 2 as part of the Formation Day celebrations. At the mandal level, these tournaments will be held in five disciplines, including athletics, football, kabaddi, kho-kho, and volleyball. All events are open to both men and women, with the exception of athletics, which is only open to men.
Tournaments will be held in 11 disciplines at the district level. In addition to the five mandal-level disciplines, six more will be organized, including badminton, basketball, boxing, handball, swimming, and wrestling. Football, wrestling, and boxing are reserved for men.
At the state-level, tournaments will be held in 18 disciplines. In addition to the 11 district-level disciplines, seven more will be organized, including archery, gymnastics, hockey, tennis, shooting, table tennis, and weightlifting. Football, wrestling, boxing, hockey and weightlifting are reserved for men.
"The main objective of ‘CM Cup’ is to unearth talent from rural areas. It also aims to foster sports culture in Telangana and instill the spirit of unity among the youth,” SATS chairman Anjaneya Goud told Deccan Chronicle. Cash prize will be awarded to the first, second and third medal winners in individual and team disciplines at state-level. Winning team will be awarded a cash prize of ₹1 lakh (gold medal), ₹75,000 (silver medal) and ₹50,000 (bronze medal).
Similarly, individual winners will get ₹20,000 (gold medal), ₹15,000 (silver medal) and ₹10,000 (bronze medal). "As many as 8,500 players who reach state-level will be brought to Hyderabad to take part in sporting events from May 28 to 31. The government will provide boarding and lodging facilities to these players," Goud said.
