Trouble in TRS: Partymen oppose tickets to entrants in Telangana

HYDERABAD: The ruling TRS is faced with dissidence within and dousing the flames may not be all too easy for TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao. KCR's assumption that the 105 candidates he announced would be acceptable to cadres seems to have gone for a toss. In several constituencies, ticket aspirants with their supporters took to the streets openly expressing resentment against KCR's decision.

On Monday, municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao did his bit to douse the flames. For the Madhira constituency, an SC reserved constituency represented by Bhatti Vikramarka of Congress, one aspirant from TRS was Bommera Ramoorthy. The TRS nominated Lingala Kamalraj. As Ramoorthy was unhappy with the decision, he met KTR along with Khammam MP Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy. Ramoorthy was informed that the party had other plans for him and that he should work for the success of the party's nominee.

In Jubilee Hills, sitting MLA Maganti Gopinath has been renominated. But TRS cadres are against it as in 2014, Gopinath had won on a TDP ticket and shifted loyalties to TRS. The argument is that 'outsiders' were getting prominence in TRS. Local leader Murali announced that he would contest as an Independent if needed. Similar is the situation in Kukatpally. TRS cadres set ablaze photos of sitting MLA M Krishna Rao, who has been renominated. He too had got elected on a TDP ticket and joined TRS. At least two TRS leaders are opposing Krishna Rao's candidature and may contest as Independents.

In Qutbullapur too, KP Vivekanand, the sitting MLA who shifted from TDP to TRS, is faced with a rebellion. TRS leader K Hanumantha Reddy, a TRS ticket aspirant, is unhappy. In Ramagundam, TRS leaders are annoyed with the party high command for once again giving the ticket to sitting legislator S Satyanarayana. They had openly spoken against him and urged the party not to give him the ticket. Korukanti Chander, who is against Satyanarayana's nomination, is planning to contest as an Independent.

There is dissidence in Khanapur also as ex-TDP MP Ramesh Rathod has staked claim for the seat. KCR had announced the name of Rekha Naik, which has not gone down well with Rathod. Peddapalle MP Balka Suman has been given ticket from Chennur, replacing Odelu. Now, Odelu's supporters are insisting that he contest as an Independent.

In Jubilee Hills, sitting MLA Maganti Gopinath has been renominated. TRS cadres are against it as in 2014, Gopinath had won on a TDP ticket and shifted loyalties to TRS