KTR should be made WP of TRS

Even during the last year plenary of TRS, we heard that IT Minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) would be elevated in the party, either as secretary-general of vice-president. But, nothing of that happened. Now again we are hearing that TRS supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) would make his only son the working president (WP) of the party.

Two weeks to go for the 16th anniversary of TRS, there is no clarity yet on whether KTR would be made the working president of the party. KTR, after addressing a public meeting along with his sister and Nizamabad MP K Kavitha at Armoor on Thursday, himself told the media that he was not aware of any plans on the part of his father to make him the working president.

KTR may be right. KCR usually doesn’t reveal his mind before taking any crucial decisions and, more so, if he wants to elevate his son to the position next only to him in the party. But, I feel KCR had better make KTR the working president of TRS for reasons more than one. If at all, KTR is going to be the future leader of the party, this is the right time to announce a plan to make him the working president.

Here I would like to list out a few reasons. First, there is no dispute that KTR is the most important and widely accepted leader after KCR both in the government and the party. If that is accepted, there is every need to elevate the IT Minister to next position so that he would learn the ropes of business of politics, especially when there is enough time for training.

Second, KTR has proved himself as the tough task master in two crucial elections – Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation and Khammam Municipal Corporation – held last year. In both the areas, TRS was very weak till a few months before the elections. KTR had taken the polls as a challenge and emerged winner, though he was ably assisted by several others in the party.

If he failed in either election, like Rahul Gandhi in various polls, analysts and opponents would have blamed KTR for the defeats. So, why shouldn’t he be rewarded for successes too? Third, there is a communication gap between top leader KCR and the ministers and the legislators in the party. KTR is the right person to fill the gap and he would be accessible to the lower rung leaders.

Naturally, people would think of TRS strongman and senior minister T Harish Rao, once we talk about KTR as the working president. Harish, no doubt, has been the troubleshooter of TRS and his uncle KCR for two decades in many key issues. In fact, Harish knows more number of leaders personally in the party and they know him too.

But, there cannot be two power centers at the same time and Harish won’t agree to that either. As Harish admitted in a TV talk show recently, he knows he has to abide by the decision of the CM, in case the latter decides to groom his son as the future leader. After all, our country is known for the law of ‘primogeniture’ i.e., the supremacy of the first born of the patriarch.

So, my last reason is once Harish is not in the way of KTR, there is no point in delaying the promotion of the IT Minister to the post of working president of TRS. KCR should not do the mistake of Sonia Gandhi in taking years together to promote her son to the post of vice-president. It’s better KCR removes confusion on this front. If people accept dynastic politics, there is no reason why leaders shouldn’t follow it too.

By: Rama Krishna Sangem
(RamakrishnaSangem.blogspot.in)