BRS debuts in Maharashtra: Why KCR chose Nanded

Adilabad : Newly formed Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) is starting its first major political innings from Maharashtra. On December 27 or 28, Telangana Chief Minister and BRC chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao is slated to visit Nanded district headquarter in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. He will be visiting the famous Sikh Gurudwara, Sachkhand Abhachalnagar Huzur Sahib.

According to sources, he will also preside over a programme wherein Maharashtra grassroots leaders and others will join his BRS. The joining programme will be the culmination of the ongoing political exercise at the grassroots level work being done by BRS leaders including MLAs from constituencies that share borders with Maharashtra.

They are visiting important towns and other centers in that state confabulating with various segments of the society over the plethora of attractive welfare schemes offered by Telangana State. This 'motivation' is aimed at eliciting support for the party from locals who, according to Boath BRS MLA Rathod Bapu Rao, have shown great enthusiasm during the last three days.

Lists of those who are favorably disposed towards joining BRS are being prepared. The party will facilitate travel for the few thousand who figure in the lists, according to the BRS public representatives. The BRS has plans to field candidates in the forthcoming urban and rural local body elections in the neighboring State. Tickets will be given to aspirants based on their chances of a win.

Assembly constituencies in the old Adilabad district which share a rather 500 km of border with Maharashtra are Mudhole in Nirmal district, Boath and Adilabad in Adilabad district, Asifabad and Kagaznagar in Kumram Bheem Asifabad district and Mancherial in Mancherial district to some extent. People from across the border have a shared ethos too and easily relate to political developments on the opposite side.

Bapu Rao and former Minister G. Nagesh have already visited Kinwat, a taluka-level town in Nanded district which was a part of Adilabad but went to Maharashtra post division of states on a linguistic basis in 1956. They met advocates, business people, sarpanches, media people, farmers, etc, and apprised them of the welfare schemes on this side of the border.

"The response is good as many sections are clamoring for the inclusion of their areas in Telangana state. Around 1,000 people including sarpanches and others have decided to join the BRS," the Boath MLA revealed.

Goverdhan Munde, the chief of Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram for Maharashtra, Goa, and Gujarat states concedes that locals are positively inclined towards the entry of BRS owing to the lack of development in many constituencies. Also, the Banjaras in Maharashtra, who are enlisted as OBCs, are looking forward to getting the status of Scheduled Tribe if their areas are merged with Telangana, he added.

Among those participating in the exercise include Mudhole MLA G. Vittal Reddy who is visiting places like Dharmabad in Bhokar constituency, Adilabad MLA Jogu Ramanna who is visiting border towns in Vani constituency, Asifabad MLA Athram Sakku who is visiting Rajura constituency in Chandrapur district and Kagaznagar MLA Koneru Konappa slated to hold small meetings with different groups in Aheri of Chandrapur district. There are those too who have relations across the interstate border who are on the job of motivating Maharashtrians.

Why KCR chose Nanded for BRS debut?

According to Boath MLA Rathod Bapu Rao, K. Chandrashekhar Rao was advised to visit the historic Gurudwara at Nanded in Maharashtra before plunging into national politics. The advice was given when he visited the famous Bangla Sahib Gurudwara in New Delhi.

He was suggested to seek blessings at Nanded Gurudwara which is the final resting place of the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh JI. It is less than 300 km from Hyderabad.

KCR had paid obeisance at the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara during his recent visit to New Delhi. He was in the national capital to inaugurate the party office. He had interacted with Sikh clergy and leaders during his visit