Raids focused on TRS leaders with bad image?

Bangaru Telangana batch leaders in the dock

PNS | Hyderabad

Although there is hullabaloo over central investigative agencies’ raids on Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) leaders, a close look at those already in the dock suggests that they are the ones who hardly have any sympathy among the public for various reasons. These leaders do not have a good public image. In fact, most of these TRS leaders are those who had switched their allegiances from other parties.

Ministers Ch Malla Reddy, Gangula Kamalakar, Talasani Srinivas Yadav, MP Nama Nageshwar Rao, MLA  Manchireddy Kishan Reddy had switched to TRS from TDP.That is, they belong to the so-called ‘Bangaru Telangana’ batch (those who joined after formation of state) of politicians and not the ‘Udhyama Telangana’ batch. The Bharatiya Janata Party is strategically targeting these leaders, knowing attacks on them would not evoke public sympathy.

Investigative agencies have been on the prowl for quite some time. But this has not made any impact or created any emotion among the general public. When Malla Reddy’s institutions were targeted, there was apparent rejoicing among activists and parents.

Maybe this explains why the party does not seem to stand united. It was for the first time that MLA KP Vivekanand went to Malla Reddy’s house on Friday. Ch Malla Reddy’s son Mahender Reddy got admitted to hospital, after complaining of chest pain. Malla Reddy staged a dharna in front of the hospital, demanding that the I-T Department stop the raids immediately. TRS workers also burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in protest against the selective targeting of their party leaders. But, there is no support from the public. Even in the case of Gangula Kamalakar, his community-related leaders burnt an effigy, but it did not provoke many of the Kapu community.

Political analysts believe that even though these are mass leaders, it is difficult for them to get public sympathy as most people know about their wealth.However, in the case of the Delhi liquor scam, Kalkavuntla Kavitha’s name was dragged. But so far there has been no notice or summons. Nor has there been an arrest. Political analysts believe that if Kavitha gets notices or is summoned or pictures of arrests emerge, then some sympathy may come.

Analysts believe that BJP was able to establish that Kavitha is associated with liquor, which is often seen as a bad habit or in negative sense.But she may get some brownie points by virtue of her being a woman politician and someone who had participated in the Telangana agitation. One exception to this is when IT searches were conducted at Minister Jagadish Reddy’s PA’s house during Munugode bypoll.

Income tax raids were conducted against a few real estate groups in Hyderabad, including the Vasavi group, Sumadhura group, Phoneix Group, RS Brothers and its associated mobile brands, but they mean nothing much to voters.