Jangaon and Station Ghanpur segments: Tough times for sitting MLAs

Jangaon: Amid speculation that the BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao is all set to release first list of candidates for the upcoming elections to the Assembly in a few days, both the sitting MLAs – Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy (Jangaon) and Thatikonda Rajaiah (Station Ghanpur) in Jangaon district seems to be jittery over protecting their tickets. Both the leaders appear to be facing more heat from within the party rather than the Opposition parties.

With the news doing rounds that MLC and Rythu Bandhu State president Palla Rajaeshwar Reddy is keen to contest from Jangaon seat, the followers of two-time sitting MLA Muthireddy took out a massive demonstration in the town on Saturday in support of their leader. They demanded the BRS leadership to retain Muthireddy and termed Palla as an outsider who didn’t do anything to their constituency as the MLC. It’s said that the BRS leadership is not happy with Muthireddy who is facing allegations of land grabbing. In fact, Muthireddy’s own daughter Tulja Bhavani charged her father with land grabbing, recently.

In 2017, the then district collector Sri Devasena also leveled serious allegations of land grabbing against Muthireddy. These apart, Muthireddy were also facing allegations of encroachment of government lands in the district. However, Muthireddy termed it as a conspiracy hatched by his detractors. Muthireddy’s followers say that a section of BRS leaders allegedly led by Palla were trying to sabotage the chances of their leader by giving false information to the party chief K Chandrasekhar Rao.

On the other hand, the long-pending rivalry between the two former deputy chief ministers – Kadiyam Srihari and Thatikonda Rajaiah – has become a headache for the BRS leadership. While the sitting MLA Rajaiah is confident of retaining the Station Ghanpur seat, MLC Srihari is keen to bounce back into the mainstream politics by winning the same seat.

Both Srihari and Rajaiah have been at loggerheads since 2004. Then Srihari was in Telugu Desam and Rajaiah was with the Congress. Srihari who won the seat in 1994 and 1999 lost twice thereafter in 2004 and 2009 on TDP ticket. Thereafter, Rajaiah continued his invincibility in the constituency by winning 2009 polls (as Congress candidate), 2012 by-poll (as TRS candidate), 2014 and 2018. Even though both the leaders are in the BRS, the rivalry between them is still alive and kicking. Although Rajaiah went on to become the first deputy chief minister of Telangana in 2014, in a dramatic turn of fortunes, he lost that post. KCR replaced him with the then Lok Sabha member of Warangal Srihari in 2015.

Despite the BRS leadership’s intervention, both the leaders continued to spar with each other for political ascendency in the Station Ghanpur constituency. Srihari tried his best to get the ticket in 2018; however, the BRS leadership kept its trust in Rajaiah. With the elections around the corner, the duo is in a similar situation aspiring for the Station Ghanpur ticket.

Although both the leaders have been active in the constituency, speculation in the political circles is rife that Srihari is likely to get the ticket from Station Ghanpur. On the other hand, Rajaiah is also confident of winning the seat fifth consecutive time. Some of the recent developments especially K Navya, Janakipuram sarpanch, accusing Rajaiah of overtures have dented the latter’s image. Rajaiah’s constant accusations against Srihari also boomeranged at him, BRS sources say.

Meanwhile, Rajaiah’s followers had also organised Rajasyamala Yagam at Bhadrakali temple, seeking divine intervention to protect their leader’s seat. Rajaiah’s followers staged a huge protest at Velair mandal headquarters, opposing Kadiyam Srihari’s candidature.