NIZAMABAD: Businessman-turned-politician D Aravind, who is the son of senior politician TRS MP D Srinivas, seems to have set his eyes on the followers of his father from the parties the latter had been in, be it the Congress or the TRS. Aravind, who made his political entry recently by joining BJP, is aspiring for the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat.
Aravind has good relations with BJP high command and also with the party’s national general secretary Ram Madav, who is also in charge of Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency. Ever since Aravind joined the party, he started making efforts to strengthen the party in Nizamabad MP segment and took up various issues like that of sugarcane farmers and opening of Nizam Sugars. Aravind is also taking initiative to invite youth club members and other party activists in rural areas to join the party.
Sources said Aravind is now looking at the followers of his father, who is popularly known as DS in the state and national politics. DS, with four decades of political history, represented Nizamabad Assembly constituency thrice and also held cabinet portfolios apart from being the PCC chief in united AP. DS has a strong following in Nizamabad Rural and urban Assembly constituencies.
After he joined the TRS, several Congress corporators followed his footsteps and strengthened TRS in the Nizamabad Municipal Corporation (NMC). TRS MLC Bhupathi Reddy, who is now under the scanner of the Pink Party for his alleged anti-party activities, is also a follower of DS. “DS still has a good following in Nizamabad district and more particularly, the urban and rural constituencies. Aravind is now eyeing them,’’ a source said.
Amid talks that the TRS leadership is not giving much importance to the veteran leader in the party affairs, Aravind is trying to divert the followers of his father to his side.A strong supporter of DS said, “The manner in which the MP was not invited on to the dais shows that the TRS leadership is keeping aside the veteran leader. This is causing worry among the followers of the leader as they feel that their political future will be in limbo if their leader continues to be neglected within the party.’’ After observing the dissatisfaction in the rank and file of his father’s camp, Aravind is said to be trying to get them into his fold. “The young leader is holding discussions with important personalities explaining his future plans,’’ a source said.
As part of that, Aravind and another BJP leader Basava Laxminarasaih recently started targeting DS group with humble criticism.“DS has enough experience in public life but the present TRS government is unable to utilise his services and he was not invited even to review meetings,’’ a politician commented.