There has been a talk in the political circles that all is not well between Telangana Rashtra Samithi working president K T Rama Rao and his brother-in-law and Siddipet MLA T Harish Rao ever since the former was made the party’s working president and the latter was denied the cabinet berth.
On Friday, however, both the leaders appeared to be in a sort of bonhomie, displaying a sort of healthy competition.
While Harish Rao is entrusted with the task of securing victory for the TRS in Medak parliamentary constituency in which Siddipet falls, KTR is expected to ensure the victory of the party in Karimnagar constituency, in which his assembly segment Siricilla falls.
Both KTR and Harish Rao challenged each other. Harish Rao said there was no competition for the TRS from any of the opposition parties, as they had already thrown up their hands in the fight.
“If at all there is any competition, it is within the TRS. As a responsible leader of Medak, I love to face competition from Karimnagar and Warangal. Medak Parliament should get maximum majority and it will be a gift to chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao,” he said.
Countering Harish Rao’s challenge, KTR said: "Bava Harish Rao is correct. There is competition within the TRS. I challenge him and leaders on the stage to prove their stamina by getting majority more than Karimnagar Parliament seat. But I will show my power at least by getting one vote more than Medak Parliament seat."
He challenged the TRS leadership of Medak Parliamentary constituency to show its strength by getting more majority than the Karimnagar Parliamentary constituency.
KTR said that even if Congress and BJP come together they will not form the government at the center.
He said leaders at the Center always were concerned about developing their native states and never bothered about Telangana. He said that the time has arrived where Telangana needed to show its strength at the center.
Talking about the implementation of schemes and policies in the state, KTR said “Telangana is showing the path to the country with its innovative schemes. Earlier they used to say what Bengal thinks today, India will think tomorrow. Today, we should feel proud to say that what Telangana does today, India will do tomorrow.”