The latest episode of Telangana health minister Etela Rajender, who openly expressed anguish over the goings-on in the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, is a clear indication to lack of internal democracy within the party.
Only those leaders who are in the good books of TRS president and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and his son K T Rama Rao, will be seen and heard in the outside world.
Those who lose the confidence of the bosses will have to keep silent with their voices stifled. If any leader who speaks openly will be forced to take back his words and salute to the bosses.
This has exactly happened in the case of Etela Rajender. Before the TRS came into power in 2014, Etela was a sort of pillar for the TRS.
He was the TRS legislature party leader and had fought bitterly for the Telangana cause inside and outside the assembly.
Even when several leaders deserted the TRS and joined the Congress during the Y S Rajasekhar Reddy regime, Etela strongly stood by the party and highlighted the Telangana cause. Having the leftist background, he had displayed a fighting spirit.
But after KCR became the chief minister, he started crushing all those who had public image like Harish Rao and Etela. He had been keeping an eagle eye on their activities.
According to sources, KCR had developed suspicion that Etela was not happy with him for promoting leaders like Talasani, Errabelli, Malla Reddy etc and ignoring genuine Telangana activists. So, he feared Etela might turn a rebel in due course.
In order to push Etela to corner, a story was planted by KCR loyalist in some select newspapers, stating that Etela had leaking details of the chief minister’s meeting at Pragati Bhavan last week with ministers and officials to discuss new Revenue Act to revenue employees’ union leaders.
Etela understood the game plan and gave vent to his feelings at a meeting in Karimnagar a couple of days ago stating that his minister’s post was not a ‘bhiksha’ given by anyone to him and he got minister post based on his seniority, efficiency and loyalty to the Telangana cause.
Etela also claimed that he was one among the owners of ‘gulabi jenda’ (TRS flag) as he is with TRS since its inception and not like other some other leaders in TRS, who joined from other parties in the middle.
But within hours, he was forced to take back his words, stating that he was loyal to KCR, who was his only boss.
However, the message has already gone into the public that Rajender has revolted against KCR's hegemony in the party.
“His statements are certainly pointing on that direction. He has challenged that he is a self-made leader and no one can threaten him of removal from the position of a minister,” was the general comment that went into the public.
And that is what Etela wants!
