HYDERABAD: In a rude shock to the BJP, the TRS on Friday spirited away two BC leaders from its stable — former chairman of Telangana Legislative Council K Swamy Goud, and Telangana activist Dr Dasoju Sravan. This is part of the TRS’ revamped strategy of weakening the BJP and also exact sweet revenge against the saffron party for poaching former MP and BC leader Boora Narsaiah Goud.
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, knowing well that the BCs constitute a significant chunk of the Munugode electorate, is understood to have deputed Ministers KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao to hook big fish from the BJP.
On Thursday, another BC leader and former MLA Budida Bikshamaiah Goud took a leap of faith into the TRS from the BJP, fortifying the party’s position and sending out a message that the BCs not only from Mun-ugode but also from across the State were joining the TRS, convinced that it alone would render justice to the community.
Rao, after returning from Delhi on Wednesday, took stock of the situation in Munugode and expedited efforts to shore up the prospects of the TRS in the bypoll battlefield.
Rao is apparently very keen on identifying those who were active in the Telangana movement and persuading them to switch sides in the wake of criticism piling up that he had abandoned them after coming to power in 2014. In fact, TRS working president KT Rama Rao is taking a very active role in landing the big fish from other parties, particularly from the BJP to break its morale ahead of the polling day on November 3 in Munugode.
If Sravan and Swamy Goud left the BJP, it is because of the Machiavellian politics of the TRS chief who knows that once the party trends in Munugode, stopping it or reversing it will be difficult unless a miracle happens. Rama Rao reportedly spoke to Sravan and Swamy Goud and invited them into the party fold, telling them that bygones are bygones and it was time for all Telangana activists to join hands and defeat the “communal” BJP.
With initial efforts in enticing the leaders meeting with a good measure of success, the TRS leaders have redoubled their efforts to proselytise those in Opposition parties into the pink party fold. The TRS grapevine says that there are more leaders who are showing interest in joining the party.
The TRS is understood to be establishing channels of communication with former party leaders who are in other parties like a former MP from Ma-habubangar who is now in the BJP. The TRS is also in touch with a Karimnagar former ZP chairman and two former MLAs, one from greater Hyderabad and the other from Nizamabad. Now, Rao would have to satisfy those joining the TRS with party or government sinecures which might be difficult as the number is set to increase.