Hyderabad: Gellu Srinivas Yadav shot into the limelight all of a sudden on August 11, when the TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao announced him as party's candidate for the Huzurabad bypoll. When political heavyweights were waiting for the party ticket and bigwigs who joined TRS from other parties recently (P. Kaushik Reddy from Congress, L. Ramana from TD and E. Peddi Reddy from BJP) with the aim of contesting this bypoll, Rao chose Yadav, a student leader, who turned 38 on Saturday and who never contested any election.
Yadav is president of the TRS student wing (TRSV) and faced 200 police cases and was jailed several times during Telangana statehood agitation. At a time when it is widely believed in political circles that Huzurabad bypoll outcome will define the future politic of Telangana, Yadav is making his electoral debut in the most fiercely fought election by TRS is something which is keenly watched at national-level.
In an exclusive interview to Deccan Chronicle, Yadav said his victory in the bypoll is anybody’s guess. Excerpts:
Q. Did you expect to get the TRS ticket to contest Huzurabad bypoll?
A: I never expected. In fact, when KCR garu announced my name, it came as a shock as well as a pleasant surprise for me I feel KCR garu rewarded me for my sincere efforts and hard work in the TRS over the past 20 years.
Q: Your opponent Etala Rajendar is a political heavyweight in Huzurabad is a four-time MLA and two-time minister. You have never contested any election. What do you think are your winning chances?
A: I may be contesting my first direct election but I am not a political novice. The party had entrusted me with responsibilities for a series of polls held in Telangana since 2001. I have vast experience of fighting elections as a party worker and emerged victorious. When the TRS fielded 37-year-old Nomula Bhagat against the Congress heavyweight K. Jana Reddy, who was seven-time MLA and longest serving Cabinet minister, the same doubts were raised but everyone knows what happened finally. Bhagat won with nearly 20,000 majority, more than double the majority secured by his father in the 2018 Assembly polls.
Q: How can you say your victory is certain so confidently?
A: KCR's name and patronage is enough to win this bypoll. Huzurabad people voted for KCR and the TRS since 2001 due to which Rajendar could become four-time MLA and two-time minister. It's not Rajendar's own achievement. It's because of the love and affection being shown by Huzurabad people towards KCR and the TRS since 2001. TRS was formed in 2001 and Rajendar joined in 2003. When Rajendar was not there, the TRS swept local body polls. This is ample proof that Huzurabad people love KCR and the TRS. I am not rich like Rajendar who owns 200 acres and crores of rupees. I own just 2-guntas of land but I have the blessings of people and KCR.
Q: Rajendar is fighting this election on the plank of 'self-respect'. What issues do you want to raise to seek votes?
A: The TRS itself stands for self-respect of Telangana. People identify the TRS as their home party. For these reasons, they are giving big victories to the TRS in all the elections from gully-level to Delhi-level. The rest of the parties are outsiders. They have political interests in other states. But for the TRS, the only interest is Telangana and Telangana people. I will seek votes on this plank and also to develop Huzurabad expeditiously in the remaining two-and-a-half tenure of this Legislative Assembly before the 2023 December Assembly polls. The condition of Huzurabad constituency is pathetic with no development all these days.
Q: Is it not the failure of the TRS government if Huzurabad is still in bad shape today as it was represented by your own MLA and minister Rajendar all these days?
A: Definitely not. The Chief Minister sanctioned a good amount of funds and schemes to Huzurabad like all other constituencies. But Rajendar failed to utilise them and develop the constituency. He was only interested in increasing his wealth, remained focussed on his poultry business, assigned lands, temple land encroachments etc. The Chief Minister sanctioned 4,000 2BHK houses for the poor in Huzurabad but Rajendar failed to execute the project like TRS MLAs and ministers in other districts. Huzurabad people already decided to vote for the TRS with a strong belief that this constituency will develop only if the TRS wins.
Q: Why should people vote for TRS?
A: Because the TRS is the ruling party. If Rajendar wins, the BJP will not form a government in Telangana and if the TRS loses, the government will not fall. Etala could not develop Huzurabad despite being a ruling party MLA and minister for seven years. What will he do if he wins from the Opposition BJP? If TRS wins, I can get more funds and schemes for the development of Huzurabad.
Q: You have been a student leader for a long period. But unemployed youth and students are angry at the TRS government for failing to release job notifications promptly in the last seven years?
A: This is a false propaganda by the Opposition parties. The TRS government has filled over 1.30 lakh vacancies in various government departments in the past seven years. If students and unemployed youth were really angry, how could the TRS win two Graduate MLC seats very recently that too wresting a seat from the BJP and the other seat which we retained? This itself is clear proof that students and unemployed youth are also with the TRS.
