Gellu Srinivas Yadav with Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. — File Photo
Hyderabad: Chief Minister and TRS President K Chandrashekhar Rao stumped his political opponents again, pitting a young leader against a seasoned politician in the Huzurabad by-poll. The announcement of TRSV president Gellu Srinivas Yadav as the party candidate for the by-poll, besides being in line with Chandrashekhar Rao’s policy of encouraging youth and promoting leaders from Backward Classes, also has an inherent message that the electoral battle against BJP’s Eatala Rajender doesn’t warrant fielding a political heavyweight.
Srinivas Yadav himself is not a political greenhorn though, having been associated with the students’ wing of the party from the time it was launched. He has seen and experienced the rough and tumble of politics during the Statehood movement and was jailed several times for participating in the agitation.
The Chief Minister is likely to introduce Srinivas Yadav formally to the people of the Huzurabad constituency during the launch of the Telangana Dalit Bandhu scheme on August 16. The disciplined approach, service orientation and determination of Srinivas helped the TRS president in zeroing in on him for the candidature.
Born in Himmathnagar village of Veenavanka mandal in Karimnagar district, Srinivas completed MA and LLB from Osmania University and is currently working for his Doctorate in political science at the same university. He has been working diligently with dedication and commitment for the TRS party since its inception.
A student leader during the Telangana movement, Srinivas was appointed TRSV State president in 2017. During his stint as president of the TRSV unit at Osmania University, he was arrested and jailed several times during the Telangana movement. He also undertook Telangana Students’ Maha Padayatra in January, 2010, from Osmania University to Kakatiya University, covering a distance of over 650 km.
The bypoll was necessitated by the resignation of Rajender, a former Minister in the State Cabinet, from both the party and MLA’s post. He subsequently joined BJP. Rajender is facing charges of land encroachments, misuse of official position and corruption.
Meanwhile, TRS cadre especially student leaders in Huzurabad constituency as well as Osmania University broke into celebrations immediately after the candidature of Srinivas Yadav was announced. TRS activists from the BC communities performed abhishekam to Chandrashekhar Rao’s portrait with milk, thanking him for his decision. They took out bike rallies, burst firecrackers and distributed sweets.
Wishes poured in for the young politician from TRS leaders. Party working president and Minister KT Rama Rao extending his best wishes and hoped that another TRS student leader who fought hard during the Statehood movement, will enter the Assembly with the blessings of the people. Finance Minister T Harish Rao, who will lead the TRS charge in the poll campaign, was confident that Srinivas will emerge victorious in the byelection. Ministers Koppula Eashwar, Gangula Kamalakar and Talasani Srinivas Yadav also extended their greetings to the TRS candidate.
Srinivas Yadav thanked the Chief Minister for giving him an opportunity to serve the people of the Huzurabad constituency. He stated that he had been working for the party and Telangana State for several years now and would serve the people of Huzurabad constituency on getting elected.