‘K Chandrasekhar Rao betrayed me by not giving me ticket,’ says TRS leader

New Delhi: G Vivekanand, who resigned as the advisor to the Telangana government on March 22, accused Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) of betrayal by not providing him ticket from Peddapalli parliamentary constituency in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls, despite standing with the TRS supremo at the "most critical times".

In a two-page statement, Vivekanand on Monday outlined his contributions as a party member to his days of the Telangana agitation, while accusing KCR's "puppets" of spreading "false information" of having worked against the party.

"The plot designed by KCR to ensure that I do not enter Parliament was carefully orchestrated by denial of the TRS party ticket to me in the last minute and not giving any time to prepare to stand in the elections. Now, at the behest of Kalvakuntla Chandrashekhar Rao, his puppets are now spreading false information that I worked against the party," he said in the letter.

"Nobody mentioned about my working against the party until the results showed that TRS party got only 10,514 votes in the assembly elections. Moreover, KCR gave the Parliament ticket to the candidate who contested against the party candidate. It clearly shows who is doing 'droham' to whom," he added.

Asserting that his late father Gaddam Venkatswamy were in favour of carving Telangana out of then united Andhra Pradesh, Vivekanand said, "During 2004, it was my late father Shri Gaddam Venkatswamy who initiated the alliance between the Indian National Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, which helped KCR to continue the fight for the state of Telangana. My father and I were always for achieving a separate state of Telangana and were passionately involved in the Telangana movement during my tenure as a Member of Parliament."

"While I was in the Congress, on behalf of KCR, KTR (KT Rama Rao) and Harish Rao, both requested me to change parties only in the interest of achieving Telangana. They had also requested me to be the mediator in taking all the TRS leaders into Congress (in case Telangana was given). Accordingly, I informed Smt Sonia Gandhi that I would have to leave Congress to devote myself completely to the Telangana movement with a promise to return when the Telangana Bill was passed in Parliament. Is this struggle betrayal to the TRS party and Telangana?" he said.

Recalling the Telangana agitation that took place between late 2000s to early 2010s, Vivekananda said, "During the peak of the Telangana agitations, I fought with the then CM Kiran Kumar Reddy to ensure that the Telangana struggle goes on without any interruptions. Everyone is aware of how I was arrested three days before my daughter's wedding, during the rail roko agitation. I never let the income tax and other pressures deter me from being part of the agitation. Is this betrayal to the TRS party and Telangana agitation? During the movement, even though the party was weak, I worked hard to strengthen the party."

"After the formation of Telangana, due to the immense contribution of my father towards the formation of Telangana (by walking out of the CWC, getting hurt in the police firing in 1969); the CM approved my proposal for a statue of him in his honour at Tankbund," he added.

Vivekanand claimed that KCR's "puppets" said that the post of the advisor to the Telangana government was a "gift" from the party after leaving Congress.

"Later KCR invited me back into the TRS party, keeping in view my contribution towards the achievement of Telangana, with a promise of party ticket from the Peddapalli Parliamentary constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, I was made the Advisor to the Government of Telangana, for protocol purposes, to be able to move around the constituency of Peddapalli and serve the people. KCR's puppets now claim that this post was a gift to me for my moving to TRS," he said.

"Protocol was never followed, nor was I involved in any inter-state issues. I was continuously kept away from the constituency by these puppets, the then sitting MIAs and MP. I even offered to resign from this position as there was no protocol and it was affecting my position in Hyderabad Cricket Association. But I was requested not to, as it would insult KCR, and I obliged and in the process. I was disqualified from Hyderabad Cricket Association's post of President. Is this betrayal to the TRS party?" Vivekanand said.

He wrote, "I was with KCR during his most critical times, and I am shocked by this betrayal at the last minute by declining me the opportunity to serve the people. KCR publicly announced that the fighters, 'udyamakarulu', would be given party tickets. However, candidates with no contribution in achieving Telangana, and didn't even utter the words Jai Telangana were given tickets at the cost of the 'udyamakarulu' which has been contradictory to the promise made, and the very spirit of the formation of the state of Telangana."

Vivekanand said that it was "painful" to see those who worked "against the party and against Telangana" were representing the issues of the people on a state and nationwide level.

Claiming that dictatorship was being enforced in Telangana, Vivekanand wrote, "The idea of democratic Telangana which we all fought is for being decimated with the 'udyarnakarulu' being thrown out and a sense of dictatorship is being enforced on the people of Telangana. People will strongly understand this dictatorship over the coming days. As there is very little time to gear up and stand as MP candidate, I am forced not to contest in the upcoming elections despite tremendous pressure and support from the people of Telangana."

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