In a strong show of support for its grassroots representatives, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has announced the establishment of a dedicated legal cell in every district of Telangana to protect newly-elected village heads. The assurance came from the party's working president, KT Rama Rao, during a felicitation event in Sircilla.
Legal Shield Against Threats
KTR, as he is popularly known, addressed a gathering of newly-elected sarpanches from the Rajanna Sircilla district at Telangana Bhavan in Sircilla on Monday. He directly assured BRS supporters who emerged victorious in the recent gram panchayat elections that they should operate without fear of threats from the ruling Congress party.
He urged the village heads to immediately contact the party if any government official or ruling party leader threatened them with suspension or created trouble. KTR promised that the party machinery would stand by them within thirty minutes, ready to fight for their rights in court if necessary.
Criticism of Congress and Electoral Mandate
The BRS leader launched a sharp critique of the Congress government, stating that within just two years of its governance, strong public opposition has surfaced. He accused the state administration of failing to deliver on key promises made to the people, including the Rythu Bandhu support scheme, farm loan waivers, pensions, and the distribution of gold to women.
KTR cited the electoral performance of BRS supporters, who won 40 to 70 percent of the village head positions, as clear evidence of this public discontent. Expressing grave concern over recent incidents, including the murder of U Mallaiah Yadav in Suryapet district and a kidnapping case in Tipparti, he stated that "democracy is being murdered under Congress rule."
Training and Future Roadmap
Looking ahead, KTR revealed a plan to conduct special training camps for the elected representatives once the local body election process is fully complete. These camps will feature experts who will educate the village heads, MPTCs, and ZPTCs on the intricacies of the Panchayat Raj Act, as well as their official duties and rights.
He also called upon the party cadre to work diligently to ensure the BRS's pink flag is hoisted in the remaining phases of the panchayat elections. Furthermore, KTR took personal responsibility for securing the Finance Commission funds that are constitutionally due to the villages, asserting that no one could legally stop these funds from reaching them.
