Backward classes, who form a significant section of Munugode's electorate, want a candidates from among the BCs.
Published Oct 06, 2022 | 4:36 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 06, 2022 | 4:36 PM
The road to Munugode. (Raj Rayasam/South First)
Though not insurmountable, the TRS, now renamed Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS), is facing problems within and without as it prepares to face the immediate challenge before it — winning the Munugode by-election on 3 November.
Apart from the rumblings within the party over the likely announcement of former MLA Kusukuntla Prabhakar Reddy’s name for the seat, the BRS now has to reckon with two immediate headaches.
The Village Revenue Assistants (VARs), who have been on strike since 25 July, are planning to file nominations en masse to register their protest against the delay in conceding their demands — regularisation of their services, fixing of pay scales, and continuing the tradition of providing jobs to wards of those who are aged.
Charlagudem project oustees in a dharna at Marriguda MRO office. (Raj Rayasam/South First)
Already, in the Munugode constituency, the Charlagudem land oustees are seething with rage over the government’s refusal to pay compensation to them on par with those of Siddipet for the lands taken from them for the construction of the Charlagudem reservoir.
They, too, are determined to file nominations en masse to queer the BRS’ pitch in the by-election.
Aithavaram Jangaiah, one of the oustees who sat at a demonstration at the Marriguda MRO office, told South First on Thursday, 6 October, that there was no question of going back on their decision.
“We will be filing at least 500 mass nominations for the Munugode seat,” he said.
The VRAs are angry over the inordinate delay in regularising their jobs. After the Village Revenue Officers (VRO) system became extinct after the state brought in the new Revenue Act, the VRAs were left high and dry.
There are about 21,500 VRAs of the total sanctioned strength of 23,000 in the state who are waiting for Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to keep his word on regularising their services, promotions, and providing jobs to the wards of the aged among them.
Said Palla Praveen Kumar, JAC co-convenor of VRAs, Nalgonda district: “When the VRO system was abolished, the VRAs were left in the lurch. As we do not have jobs but are in the employment of the government, our officers are entrusting menial work to us like washing their cars, using us as ball pickers when they practice lawn tennis, work like servants cleaning the premises of the office or their houses.”
“The chief minister promised to regularise our jobs thrice in the past, in 2017, 2020, and 2022, but there was no action. We expected the chief minister to make a positive announcement on Dasara Day but he was too busy otherwise,” he told South First.
“Our JAC is yet to take a decision on filing mass nominations. But there are suggestions from VRAs that we should,” Praveen Kumar added.
Former MLA is the most likely BRS choice to contest the Munugode by-election slated for 3 November. (Koosukuntla_TRS/Twitter)
As far as internal unrest is concerned, the BRS is now grappling with rising dissident voices.
As the most likely candidate Kusukuntla Prabhakar belongs to the Reddy community, the Backward Classes (BCs) are demanding that they should be given priority as their population is huge in the constituency.
Senior BRS leaders Boora Narasiah Goud, Karne Prabhakar, and Karnati Vidyasagar have made their opposition to Prabahar Reddy known publicly.
Narasaiah Goud and Karne Prabhakar had even targeted Minister G Jagadeeswar Reddy and demanded on public platforms that the ticket should go to a BC.
As the TRS considers winning the by-election a matter of prestige, KCR is now trying to put out the flames of dissidence before they turn into a conflagration, especially at a time the BJP is not exactly having a smooth ride of it.
To quell the dissidence, KCR has asked Rythu Bandhu Samiti chairman and MLC Palla Rajeswar Reddy to assuage the ruffled feelings of the dissidents.
After the chief minister gave the direction, Palla Rajeswar Reddy has been on the job to get everyone on board, besides spearheading the campaign for the BRS in the constituency.
