Upset local TRS leaders revolt against own member
WARANGAL: Despite the advantage of a head start, the upcoming elections are proving to be an uphill battle for TRS. Ever since the list of candidates was announced, multiple instances of upset loyalists rebelling against the party have come to the fore. The situation is no different for five-time MLA and one-time MP Errabelli Dayakar Rao in Palakurthi Assembly constituency. Rao was elected on a TDP ticket and made the crossover to TRS in 2016.
However, at present, the Opposition raised against Dayakar Rao by his own party leaders might prove potent enough to eat into his votes. Calling Rao an ‘outsider’, the dissenting TRS leaders have raised a strong banner of revolt against him. Recently, the local leaders had allegedly made an appeal to the party high command to shift Dayakar Rao’s ticket from Palakurthi to any other constituency possible.
The former MLA was in fact allotted the Palakurthi ticket on the basis that his native Wardhannapet constituency is now reserved for SC. Prominent among the rebel leaders are former TRS Warangal district division chief T Ravinder Rao. He has openly announced his opposition to Dayakar’s candidature, demanding that he himself be nominated considering his notable following in the constituency.
Additionally, he challenged Dayakar Rao to contest from Warangal East constituency. Addressing Dayakar, Ravinder Rao said, “You claim to be a powerful leader and keep raising criticisms against the Konda couple. You should contest from Warangal East and defeat them. Then you can kill two birds with one stone,” he stated.
Ravinder Rao alleged that allowing Dayakar to contest from Palakurthi would be disastrous as even the party cadre will not support him. Moreover, the internal conflicts within the party that the situation has led to would ultimately benefit the Congress candidate, he stated.
“I have been a part of TRS ever since its inception. I’ve worked hard to strengthen the party in the erstwhile Warangal district. But the high command has never recognised my effort,” he alleged. Ravinder Rao also threatened to contest the poll as an Independent if the party stands by its current decision.
Such a move would prove a blow to TRS as the constituency would then be a cakewalk for Congress, as the chances of TRS votes getting divided will become high. Congress ticket aspirant Janga Raghav Reddy enjoys quality following in the constituency as well.