Party has lost its direction and identity, is a puppet in the hands of power-hungry individuals, says Hanumantha Rao.
Published Sep 23, 2023 | 3:09 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 23, 2023 | 3:09 PM
BRS MLA Mynampalli Hanumantha Rao. (Facebook)
After announcing his resignation from the BRS, Malkajgiri MLA Mynampally Hanumantha Rao dashed off a letter to the party supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, slamming his tendency to take unilateral decisions on all issues, and lamenting the lack of internal democracy and transparency.
In the letter, a copy of which was released to the media on Saturday, 23 September, the legislator said that he was “deeply disappointed and disillusioned” with the recent developments in the BRS.
“There is no democracy or transparency in its functioning. The party leadership has ignored the voices and opinions of the grassroots workers and leaders and has taken unilateral decisions without any consultation or consensus,” the letter said.
As an example he cited the decision to change the name of the party from TRS to BRS, which, he said, was against the wishes of the rank and file of the party. The unsuccessful attempts to expand the party into neighbourig states have taken away its focus from the development of Telangana, he contended.
Hanumantha Rao said that the disconnect between the party and the people, as well the leaders and the cadres, was evident in the choice of several candidates for the Assembly elections, who are facing severe backlash from their constituents and party cadres.
“At a personal level, I have serious differences with some of the senior leaders of the party who have been spreading false and malicious propaganda against me in the visual and social media,” he said.
He made no bones about rejecting the party ticket offered to him to contest from Malkajgiri.
“I cannot continue to be a part of a party that has lost its direction and identity and has become a puppet in the hands of a few power-hungry individuals. I cannot betray the trust and faith of my constituents who have elected me with a huge majority.
“I cannot compromise on my principles, values, and commitment to service that I have upheld throughout my political career. I request you to remove my name from the list of BRS candidates selected for the Assembly elections,” he said.
Explaining why he joined the BRS, he said he wanted to be of help to the party in fulfilling the aspirations of the Telangana people.
“I joined the TRS (now BRS) in 2014, when the party was without a single corporator in the GHMC and was facing headwinds in the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency. I worked hard for the party and the people,” he noted.
Hanumantha Rao said he was thankful to the chief minister for appointing him as the president of the party district unit for the role he played in helping the party win the GHMC elections in 2016. He said he was also thankful to KCR for taking him into the Legislative Council and later allotting the MLA ticket to him.
The BRS supremo was furious with Hanumantha Rao for abusing Finance Minister T Harish Rao on the day the names of the candidates were announced on 21 August, holding him responsible for the denial of ticket to his son.
KCR had renominated sitting MLA T Padmaja Devender Reddy for Medak which apparently ruffled Hanumantha Rao’s feathers.
After flying into a rage against Harish Rao and vowing not to contest from Malkajgiri on a BRS ticket if the party did not nominate his son for Medak, he waited for the party leadership to cool down and agree to his terms.
When it dawned on him that the party was in no mood to accommodate his request, he quit the party and is in search of new pastures in the grand old party.
