Bureaucrats and senior officials in Telangana seem to have mastered the art of kicking up controversies to get into politics and gain positions in the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi headed by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
The latest to join such a group of officials is director of public health and family welfare in the Telangana government Dr Gadala Srinivasa Rao.
Not many people were aware of this official till the outbreak of Covid-19 two years ago; and he got into news with his regular media briefings on the pandemic.
Taking advantage of getting into headlines every day, Srinivasa Rao thought being in the news for one reason or the other is the best way to get into politics and become a key member of the BRS government.
So, he started pampering the BRS leaders and ministers and finally, he could get access to chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
When Eatala Rajender was the health minister, the health director used to ensure that he regularly accompany the minister to hospitals.
After Harish Rao became the health minister, Srinivasa Rao got into headlines by trying to garland him in public.
At a recent meeting with the chief minister, he was caught in media cameras touching the latter’s feet two or three times.
He even defended his action, saying KCR was like a father figure for al the people and there was nothing wrong in touching the chief minister’s feet.
Srinivasa Rao was also caught in cameras while performing some tantrik poojas at his place in Khammam district only to make headlines.
In the recent instances, the health director sought to kick up controversy by making controversial statements like “typhoid is spread by paani puri” or crediting Jesus Christ for Covid-19 subsiding in India.
Obviously, Srinivasa Rao is nurturing his political ambition. He is said to be contemplating contesting the next assembly elections on BRS ticket from Kothagudem in the next elections, after relinquishing his post.
Srinivasa Rao, who joined the Health Department in 2004, also runs a charitable trust in the name of his father in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district.
He is ensuring that there are flex board put up every where in Kothagudem with his huge pictures.
Already, former Siddipet collector P Venkatrami Reddy got into the BRS and nominated as MLC, for touching the feet of KCR in public.
And director general of police M Mahender Reddy, who is going to retire this month end, might also get some plum post in the BRS, say sources.