For the first four years of the TRS rule, the newspapers were regularly reporting mass defections of leaders from other parties to the TRS but hardly was there an instance of any leader quitting the TRS to join any other party.
But as elections approach, the wise ones assess which way the wind is blowing, at least in their constituencies and then take a decision accordingly.
Recently, KCR got a huge shock when many senior leaders in Mahabubnagar district quit the TRS and joined the Congress.
Realising immediately that this was a bad sign with elections round the corner, KCR immediately nominated senior leader Manda Jagannadham as Special Representative of the Telangana government in New Delhi with cabinet status.
Manda Jagannadham, an ex-MP, had not been given any post and was lying idle since 2014.
Of late, he had been irritated at being neglected and was keeping away from party activities.
KCR counter attacked the Congress by getting Congress MLC of the district K Damodar Reddy and former MLAs E Krishna Reddy and Abraham to join the TRS.
Only time will tell whether these measures will suffice to stem the anti-incumbency against the TRS in the district.
