In Telangana, the political turmoil continues between the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and Eatala Rajender, the former Health Minister of the State.
On the 4th of June, after the resignation of Eatala Rajender, the TRS leaders came down heavily on him. Leaders like Koppula Eshwar, Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, Gangula Kalamakar and Guvalla Balaraju addressed the media and criticised Eatala Rajender for talking against the TRS.
On Friday, the 4th of June, Eatala Rajender announced his resignation and criticised the TRS Government and the Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. He made slanderous remarks against the Party and said, he never was respected. He even alleged KCR and KTR of conspiring against him and removing him from the State Cabinet.
After his press conference, the TRS leaders denied all the allegations of Eatala Rajender and slammed him for his comments against the Party, which gave Mr. Eatala Rajender, his political life. The TRS leaders also asked Eatala Rajender to answer why he continued in the Party if he was not respected. Why did he take oath as the TRS Cabinet minister when given the Health Ministry, if he was against the ruling Government and their policies.
Koppula Eshwar, the Scheduled Caste (SC) Development Minister of Telangana, said, “Chief Minister had never disrespected Rajender and had instead appreciated him during the Cabinet meetings as well as public meetings on many occasions.” He further said, “(Mr.) Rajender supported all the Cabinet decisions during the meetings and spoke against them in public. If he was opposed to the Government policies, he should have resigned long ago. Despite being a Minister, he spoke against the Government decisions. Doesn’t this amount to waging war against the Government?”
The Backward Class (BC) Welfare Minister of Telangana, Gangula Kamalakar also criticised Eatala Rajender. He said, “If they (the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) allow Rajender to join the BJP without him giving up the lands belonging to the poor as well as the endowment lands, it can be assumed that they are supporting his corrupt practices.”
It is to be noted, the differences between Eatala Rajender and the TRS Government started after Eatala Rajender was alleged of land grabbing. Taking action regarding the matter, K. Chandrashekar Rao removed Eatala Rajender from the portfolio of the Health Minister and ordered a probe. The decision of the TRS Government and KCR was a big disappointment to Eatala Rajender, following which he not only decided to resign from the Party, but also spoke against their policies and governance.
Meanwhile, the Telangana Government Whip Guvvala Balaraju said, nothing can protect Rajender who amassed wealth illegally by encroaching upon assigned lands and running his businesses.
Another leader and the Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and Rythu Bandhu Samithi chairman Palla Rajeshwar Reddy said, the former Minister was given due respect within the party and the Government over several years.
On the other hand, after resigning from the TRS party, Eatala Rajender is scheduled to join the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Stay tuned for further updates.