YSRTP’s Epuri Somanna joins BRS

Speaking on the occasion, Madhusudhanachari said BRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had set a new precedence in giving the due honour and respect to Telangana artistes.

Hyderabad: Noted folk singer and YSR Telangana party official spokesperson Epuri Somanna joined the Bharat Rashtra Samithi on Sunday. Somanna, who had recently met party working president and Minister KT Rama Rao and evinced his interest in joining the BRS, was formally inducted into the party fold by BRS senior leader and MLC S Madhusudhanachari at a function held in Telangana Bhavan here.

Speaking on the occasion, Madhusudhanachari said BRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had set a new precedence in giving the due honour and respect to Telangana artistes. He said due to the State government’s efforts, Telangana’s arts and culture were getting due recognition across the world.

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Somanna said there was no alternative to Chief Minister Chandrashekhar Rao in leading Telangana on the progressive path.

“I sang a song ‘Telangana evadi Palaindo…’ (who had Telangana) which is being viewed as criticism, but I am glad that Telangana has Chandrashekhar Rao. While he has been addressing the issues that plagued Telangana for decades in a phased manner, the Opposition parties failed to recognise the people’s pulse,” he added.

Somanna, who played an active role during the Telangana Statehood movement, was instrumental in mobilising huge support for the Telangana statehood movement through his songs. After the State formation, the BRS (then TRS) government honoured his services by giving him a government job. However, he joined the Congress and later shifted to the YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP).

Government Whip Balka Suman, MLC Deshapathi Srinivas, former MLC M Sreenivas Reddy and others also spoke on the occasion.