HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister and TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday averred that the “situation is favourable” to the pink party in the ensuing municipal polls. Interestingly, while Rao exuded confidence of winning the elections, he assumed the role of a teacher and tutored his Ministers and MLAs on filling up A-forms and B-forms and handing them over to the returning officers.
While handing the forms over to the Ministers, MLAs and TRS Assembly in-charges during a party meeting, the Chief Minister took the time to elaborate on the nitty-gritty of the nomination process. TRS working president and MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao and Finance Minister T Harish Rao were among those who were present in the meeting.
“Rao donned the role of a teacher and spoke to us about all the aspects of the polls. He even gave us dummy B-forms and showed us how to fill them up. He directed us to set up legal teams so that the forms would be filled with utmost care and no nomination of any TRS candidate would be rejected by the returning officers,” MLA Bigala Ganesh Gupta said.
According to sources, Rao wanted the Ministers and MLAs to see to it that the TRS rebels withdrew their nominations. As there was massive competition for TRS tickets, Rao wanted them to pacify those aspirants who failed to get them. The message to Ministers and MLAs was: “people are with TRS. Encash it and win the majority of wards”.
Rao advised party leaders to focus on getting a huge majority in areas where the party’s chances are bright. When the competition is tight, the TRS leaders should focus all their energies on ensuring the victory of the party candidate.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, several Ministers said that the Chief Minister had directed them to highlight the development and welfare works of the government in their campaigns.
“The urban voters have witnessed the Palle Pragathi and the development of villages. Now, they will vote for TRS, which is set to start a Pattana Pragathi programme. Funds will be allocated on a monthly basis to all the Municipalities and Corporations to take developmental works,” Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy said.
Panchayat Raj Minister E Dayakar Rao said that the Chief Minister had asked the office-bearers to be cautious during the polls. He had stressed on the need for unity among all the leaders in the civic body polls, the minister said.
K Chandrasekhar Rao chides late-comers
TRS supremo expressed serious displeasure over some of the Ministers arriving late to the meeting. According to sources, ministers E Rajender, E Dayakar, S Niranjan Reddy and several MLAs and MLCs were the late-comers. Though the situation is favourable to the party, the leaders should be careful till the results are announced, Rao told them