Hyderabad: The selection of farmers for the coordination councils has opened up fissures in the TRS in the districts with leaders at all levels from ministers to sarpanches trying to pack the councils with their supporters.
Since, only 15 members can be accommodated in each village-level council, the denial of berths for others is leading to tussles between local leaders.
The problem is worse in constituencies where Opposition MLAs defected to the TRS. These MLAs are nominating supporters on their own which is being resisted by local TRS leaders.
Multiple selection lists are being sent to the agriculture department by warring factions, due to which the selection process has become complicated.
The deadline to constitute councils in 10,733 revenue villages and 577 revenue mandals ended on September 9.
Due to infighting between TRS leaders, the councils could be constituted only in 9,000 revenue villages and 400 mandals. The district-level councils in 30 districts and a state-level council are yet to be formed.
For district and state-level councils lobbying is taking up place at higher levels.
Those having access to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and ministers are in great demand with aspirants running around them to secure a berth in these councils.
Stakes are high to secure a place in these councils as they play a key role in the ensuing special drive to update revenue land records and survey besides selecting beneficiaries for Rs 8,000 per acre per year financial assistance scheme to farmers. Aspirants feel that the councils could serve as a launching pad for their political career.
The government continues to accept consitution of new councils even after deadline to fill the backlog.
Even in the constituted councils, multiple complaints have been sent to collectors on ‘ineligible farmers’ making it to the list. Agriculture minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said all these issues would be sorted out amicably and all the councils will start functioning by September 20.
