For the first time, a Telangana Rashtra Samithi MLA staged a revolt against the party and is all set to join the Bharatiya Janata Party, triggering a sensation in the Telangana political circles.
Mohammad Shakeel, representing Bodhan assembly constituency in Nizamabad district, gave a rude shock to the party on Thursday by meeting BJP MP from Nizamabad Dharmapuri Aravind at the latter’s residence. Both of them discussed the political scenario in the state and the country.
Shakeel was known to be a close associate of former MP and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter Kalvakuntla Kavitha.
In fact, during the recent Lok Sabha elections, Kavitha got majority only in Bodhan constituency. However, it is not exactly known why Shakeel has lost the confidence of the TRS leadership.
Shakeel told reporters later that he was ready to resign from the TRS if necessary. He, however, did not immediately disclose anything on his joining the BJP.
“I will hold a press conference in a couple of days and reveal my plans. Till such a time, I will neither confirm nor deny the reports of my joining the BJP,” he said.
The TRS MLA, who is the only Muslim from the party in state assembly, made some sharp comments against the party and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.
“Where is the 12 per cent reservations for Muslims as promised by KCR? Even the budgetary allocations for Muslims has not been spent completely. And this year, there is a 40 per cent cut in the minority budget,” he alleged.
He also accused the chief minister of dancing to the tune of the MIM.
“He is only favouring the MIM and not the Muslims,” Shakeel alleged.
