Discontent brews among BRS MLAs over candidate list

Disgruntlement among Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs over candidate list for Telangana state assembly elections. Some may quit party, others voice disappointment.

Disgruntlement can be seen brewing in a section of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) MLAs over the announcement of the list of the party candidates for 115 out of 119 seats in the Telangana state assembly, which is going for elections in December this year.

The list that was announced by K Chandrashekar Rao on Monday (ANI)

Though party president and chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) had been hinting that he would retain a majority of the sitting MLAs for the upcoming assembly elections, the party leaders were given the impression that at least 25-30 MLAs would be replaced by new faces.

A senior party leader, privy to the development, said several ticket aspirants had been lobbying with KCR’s son and BRS working president K T Rama Rao and daughter K Kavitha to see that their names be considered for the party tickets.

The list that was finally announced by KCR on Monday afternoon, came as a big disappointment for the aspirants.

Sitting BRS lawmaker from Malkajgiri assembly constituency Mynampalli Hanumantha Rao, who had been lobbying for the party ticket for his son, M Rohit, from Medak assembly seat, took a dig at KCR and his family members, especially the chief minister’s nephew T Harish Rao. “The party should give the tickets to both me and my son. We won’t accept anything short of it. When KCR’s family can get three tickets, why not two tickets for my family, which has done so much for Telangana?” he asked.

Hanumantha Rao’s name was a part of the list of BRS candidates for Malkajgiri seat, but his son was denied the ticket. Reacting to Hanumantha Rao’s comments, KCR said, “We have given the ticket to Hanumantha Rao and it is for him whether he will accept or reject it.”

However, KTR reacted strongly to Hanumantha Rao’s comments. “One of our MLAs who was denied a ticket to his family member, in an outburst, made some derogatory comments on minister Harish Rao garu. I not only strongly condemn the MLA’s behaviour, but also want to make it clear that we all stand by Harish Rao,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The BRS working president further said Harish Rao had been an integral founding member of the BRS since its inception and would continue to remain an important pillar of the party as it moves forward.

Though Hanumantha Rao later said he would stand by the party’s decision to deny ticket to his son, KCR might drop the MLA from the list in a day or two, the party leader quoted above said.

Similarly, another BRS legislator from Station Ghanpur constituency Tatikonda Rajaiah, who was replaced by senior leader Kadiyam Srihari, may also quit the party. He is said to be looking towards the Congress or the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

BRS legislator from Vemulawada Ch Ramesh, whose name was also not in the list, because of the litigation over his Indian citizenship, expressed his displeasure. “It should have been better if the decisions were taken after consulting with us and taking into consideration the aspirations of local people,” he posted on X. Meanwhile, KTR admitted that some deserving candidates could not be accommodated (in the list) due to various reasons. “Disappointments are to be taken in stride in public life. Unfortunately, some very deserving, capable leaders and a few others could not be accommodated. Will ensure those who have been denied an opportunity to contest get their chance in another form to serve the people,” he posted.

The list was also a big disappointment for the Communist parties – Communist Party of India and CPI (Marxist) which were expecting that they would get at least two seats each.

“When we have announced the complete list, where is the question of sharing seats with the Left parties?” KCR asked during a press conference.

CPI state secretary K Sambasiva Rao said it was unfortunate that KCR, who had taken the support of the Left parties during the by-elections to Munugode assembly constituency in November last year, dumped them after winning the seat. “We shall discuss the issue internally and announce our future plan of action,” Rao said.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A Revanth Reddy said the BRS list clearly showed that KCR had accepted the defeat well in advance. “He is not confident of winning his own seat in Gajwel; and hence, decided to try his luck from Kamareddy as well,” he said. The PCC chief pointed out that there were only seven women in the list of 115 BRS candidates for the assembly elections. “What does KCR’s daughter Kavitha, who protested for reservations to women in elected bodies, do now? She should question her father,” he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary and former Telangana BJP president Bandi Sanjay alleged that all those MLAs who were retained in the list to contest for the upcoming elections were corrupt and land grabbers. “It is imminent that they are going to lose the elections,” he asserted.