So close, yet so far away

Warangal: With the TRS leadership keeping the selection of its candidature for the Warangal East Assembly constituency in abeyance as it is reluctant to renominate Konda Surekha, quite a few aspirants have started lobbying to secure the ticket.

All the aspirants Mayor Nannapaneni Narender, former MP Gundu Sudha Rani, former minister Basavaraj Saraiah, Gudimalla Ravi Kumar, Corporator Vaddiraj Ganesh, Errabelli Pradeep Rao, Deputy Mayor Khaja Sirajuddin and the list goes on… have their arguments justifying their candidatures.

Of all the aspirants, the instance of senior advocate Gudimalla Ravi Kumar, who has been with the party since its inception and actively participated in the statehood movement, is different and somewhat unfortunate.

Ravi Kumar was the frontrunner to get the ticket for Warangal Lok Sabha (SC) byelection when Kadiyam Srihari had to resign after he was inducted into the State Cabinet. In the last minute change after a controversy erupted over his community, the party leadership which zeroed in on Ravi Kumar’s candidature had replaced him with Pasunuri Dayakar, who eventually won the seat with a record majority.

During that time, TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao, who personally went to the residence of Ravi Kumar, had reportedly assured him of taking care of his political career.

Thereafter, the TRS leadership took a long time to bestow on him the post of chairman of the State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR). However, it did not last long when the High Court struck down the GO issued by the State government citing that panel appointment was not made in tune with the norms of the Commission in 2017.

Since then, it was always touted that the TRS leadership would give a plum post to Ravi Kumar or nominate him to the Legislative Council or Rajya Sabha. However, it was not to be.

Against this backdrop, his followers have been vociferous urging the TRS chief to give the party ticket to their leader. They claimed that Ravi Kumar, who is also the honorary president of Telangana Auto Drivers Union (TADU), has the support of working class. Moreover, he hails from Warangal East constituency, they said, buttressing their demand.

Speaking to The Hans India, senior TRS Urban district leader Vodapelly Venugopal said: “Those who pelted stones and fired at Telangana activists have become part of the TRS government. But for someone like Gudimalla who worked for the party since its inception did not get his due.

However, we have faith in KCR that he will do justice to Gudimalla who not only braved police lathis but also argued cases in favour of Telangana agitators free of cost.”

Md. Yakub, another senior TRS leader, expressed confidence that TRS chief KCR will recognise the services of Ravi Kumar and give him the Warangal East ticket. “It will also lift the morale of the TRS cadres who actively took part in the Telangana Movement,” he said.

Majority of other aspirants are already part of government someway or other way, he said, referring to some of the prominent contenders Nannapaneni Narender (Mayor), Gundu Sudha Rani (chairman of Women Cooperative Finance) - for the ticket. When contacted, Gudimalla Ravi Kumar said: “I am always loyal to the party and remain so in any case.”