The battle for Huzurabad is turning hotter

Apropos the news item, "KCR sets 40K victory for by polls (The Hans India, Aug 21). Ever since the formation of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in April 2001, Eatala Rajender remained as a trusted lieutenant of its founder President, K Chandrashekara Rao. When regional party faced several turbulent phases initially, either in assembly or amongst the general masses, it was grassroot volunteers like T Harish Rao and E Rajender who ensured to retain the 'Telangana spirit' in the hearts of the voters.

While KCR had repeated deliberations with central Congress leaders or was in central cabinet, away from masses, it was legislative Members like E Rajender who was always in forefront to take up the issues of the electorate of Telangana in past; sometimes much to the annoyance of former Chief Ministers viz. Y S Rajashekhara Reddy and also TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu, on the floors. One need not therefore be surprised if Rajender, as second rung leader of the party, boasts that he is also an 'Gulabi jhanda mosina kaaryakarta', the statement that irked and sent jitters to its party supremo, causing him to leave his parent organization.

With his political and legislative experience of nearly two decades, having tested the pulse of his area electorate day in and day out, Rajender cannot be reduced as nonentity merely because his former 'boss' kicked him away. In democracy it's not the party boss, but the 'ballot box' that call the shots. Who knows the magic '40K' figure in forthcoming bypolls may swing in favour of Eatala Rajender much to the surprise of TRS leader !

— Govardhan R Jilla, Mumbai