Hyderabad: A fresh worry is looming large over TRS MLAs ahead of Cabinet expansion and the appointment of Speaker for the second-term of Telangana Assembly. Senior MLAs are reportedly approaching TRS working president KT Rama Rao requesting him not to consider them for the Speaker position. A senior TRS MLA from Warangal is believed to have told KTR that it doesn’t matter if he’s not considered for the minister post for denial of Speaker position. The reason behind is that fear of losing elections as Speakers never won subsequent elections in united Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as well. Few senior MLAs from Karimnagar and Nizamabad have also reportedly informed the TRS high command about their choice of not to become Speaker.
Telangana chief minister and TRS supremo K Chandrashekhar Rao is considering several senior leaders for the Cabinet expansion, while majority of seniors are anxious over the Speaker post.For instance, latest one is former Speaker Madhusudhana Chary, who lost in Bhupalapally constituency to Congress candidate Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy. In 2014, Chary won from Bhupalapalli constituency and became Speaker in the first Assembly of Telangana state.Chary is not the first Speaker to lose elections, but the list of such leaders includes several names and this is creating panic among TRS senior leaders.
Going back to early 1990s, D Sripada Rao was speaker in 1991 but he lost his elections in 1995. Y Ramakrishnudu of TDP) succeeded Rao during 1995 to 1999. Ramakrishnudu too had to face defeat in the immediate elections in 1999. Later, Pratibha Bharati became Speaker during 1999- 2004 and she too lost in the next elections.Then YS Rajasekhara Reddy-led Congress came to power. During the ten-year rule of Congress, there were three speakers and all the three lost next elections.
KR Suresh Reddy, who recently don pink, was the speaker during 2004-2009 and he lost the elections after his term. Two Congress leaders — N Kiran Kumar Reddy (June 2009 to November 2010) and Nadendla Manohar – held Speaker position. Kiran Kumar Reddy was speaker from 2009 to 2013 and Nadendla Manohar was Speaker during during June 2011-June 2014. from 2009 to 2013. Kiran Kumar Reddy became chief minister of united AP and held a record of being the last CM till 2014 and lost in the subsequent elections.However, Nadendla Manohar too lost the immediate elections in 2014.
Why this saga continues for Speakers. A senior political analyst observes that “may be Speakers lose contacts with public. This disconnection with voters is the prime reason for losing elections. Speakers during their term would be busy with legislative matters and public from their constituencies get disconnected with their MLAs.”
However, being aware of this jinx for Speakers, Chary tried his best to spend his time with people in the constituency. “He used to tour villages and spending nights in remote areas and resolved several daunting problems in his constituency. But, he too lost in elections like earlier Speakers,” wonders a senior TRS leader.
