In a bid to cash in on the vote bank of backward classes who constitute a huge chunk of population, the candidates of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the coming elections are vying with each other to take leaders of different social groups within BCs to their respective constituencies for meetings on caste lines.
These leaders may not be star campaigners nor big names in politics but they are now enjoying considerable clout among the candidates. To appease the voters belonging to Yadav, Goud, Mudiraj and other BC communities, the TRS candidates are inviting the leaders of these sections to turn them to their side.
It was in this context that the caretaker Animal Husbandry Minister T. Srinivas Yadav addressed a meeting of Yadav community in Gajwel, the constituency of caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, on Tuesday. Another meeting of Padmashali community was also held at Gajwel recently.
Campaign leaders
Meetings of caste leaders with members of their communities took place almost on a daily basis in Siddipet over the last few days. Another minister in the caretaker government T. Harish Rao addressed members of Mudiraj and Golla Kurma communities at TRS office here when their leaders joined the party.
It was not only the caste leaders but MPs and MLAs representing the communities were also in great demand to campaign for candidates. In fact, some candidates were said to be seeking the intervention of minister in the caretaker government K.T. Rama Rao to ensure the leaders campaigned.
Welfare schemes
Among the most sought after politicians were caretaker Finance Minister Eatala Rajender and TRS MP Banda Prakash who belong to Mudiraj community.
Similarly, Mr. Srinivas Yadav and another TRS MP Badugula Lingaiah Yadav who were asked to address meetings of Yadav community to explain to its members welfare programmes taken up for their development by the government.
The Ministers and other party leaders have taken pains to explain to public the sheep distribution programme for Golla Kurma community and fish culture being promoted for Mudiraj population.