HYDERABAD: Excise minister V. Srinivas Goud's "KTR is future CM" campaign in bypoll-bound Munugode Assembly constituency has created a buzz in TRS circles.
During his door-to-door campaign, Goud has begun showing pictures of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao and TRS working president Rama Rao to voters and saying, "This is KCR who is our CM and this is KTR who is our future CM."
Further, Goud has been telling voters that Rama Rao had promised to adopt and develop Munugode if the party's candidate Prabhakar Reddy was elected. “If you ensure a TRS victory, Rama Rao, as future CM, will develop your constituency in the same way that CM KCR has developed Gajwel."
Goud is the election incharge for the Choutuppal municipality's Thallasingaram and Lingojigudem wards. He had previously sought votes by emphasising the TRS government's welfare schemes and development programmes, but in the last two days shifted gears and began seeking votes for "KTR as future CM”.
TRS leaders were taken aback by Goud's campaign because the 'KTR as CM' talk had died down after KCR issued a stern warning against it in February, stating that he would be CM for the next 10 years.
According to reports, the CM warned TRSLP leaders that if anyone raised this issue, he would "hit them to the ground", if anyone raised this issue after former health minister Etala Rajender created a stir by making public statements that Rama Rao will be next CM and the TRS working president had all the qualities to become CM.
This had prompted a few senior leaders to join the bandwagon like Gangula Kamalakar, Ch Malla Reddy, T.Padma Rao Goud. Subsequently, the “KTR as CM” talk died down after Rajendar was sacked from the Cabinet.
