Telangana Rashtra Samithi president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao dealt a rude shock to media owner and industrialist C L Rajam by denying him Rajya Sabha ticket, which was promised to him two years ago.
KCR selected former minister Capt V Lakshmikanth Rao and senior leader D Srinivas for the two Rajya Sabha seats which have fallen vacant in Telangana with the completion of term of two sitting MPs – Gundu Sudha Rani and V Hanumanth Rao.
While Lakshmikanth Rao was rewarded for his loyalty to the party and his “contribution” to the party’s victory in Warangal Lok Sabha by-elections, D Srinivas was given the seat under BC quota.
In fact, KCR had promised to give the RS seat to Rajam for giving up the ownership of Namasthe Telangana Telugu daily in favour of the TRS. He told a delegation of the Brahmin association leaders that he would reward Rajam with the RS seat under Brahmin quota.
However, in the last two years, KCR did not entertain Rajam at all, though he continued to be pro-TRS in running Metro India English daily. Rajam made quite a few attempts to please KCR, but the latter did not reciprocate the gesture and finally denied him the Rajya Sabha ticket.
Interestingly, Namasthe Telangana MD D Damodar Rao was also in the race for the RS seat, but he too was not considered because KCR did not want the RS seats to be given to both the upper caste people.
