Congress irked as TRS names PV Rao's daughter as nominee for MLC polls

Much to the embarrassment to the Congress, late former prime minister PV Narasimha Rao’s daughter, Surabhi Vani Devi, has accepted an offer from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) to contest the upcoming Legislative Council elections in the state.

Upset senior Congress leaders from Telangana have described it as TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR)’s move for political gains.

“KCR knows pretty well that his party will lose the Mahabubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Graduates’ constituency. He is trying to scapegoat the PV family by fielding Vani Devi,” said Pradesh Congress Committee’s working president and Malkajgiri MP A Revanth Reddy and former MP Ponnam Prabhakar.

“If KCR really has respect for Narasimha family, he should send her to Rajya Sabha directly or to the Legislative Council under the Governor’s quota,” Ponnam said.

The election to Legislative Council is on March 14. The PV Rao family has been staying away from politics since the political stalwart’s demise in December 2004.

KCR sprang surprise in the political circles by announcing to celebrate his centenary for one long year. He initiated several programmes at local level and also demanded the Narendra Modi government to confer Bharat Ratna on him and install his portrait in the Parliament. A resolution to this effect was also adopted in the Assembly.

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Vani Devi, an artist and academic, has attended programmes held by the state government and shared dais with KCR. Rao came down heavily on the Congress for not recognising PV Narasimha Rao, who is hailed for initiating economic and education reforms in the country.

The centenary celebrations committee has invited Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party leader Rahul Gandhi, and former PM Manmohan Singh for the event. They did not turn up, but had sent messages hailing the leadership and services of PV Rao to the nation.

“After a long career in state and national politics, he became the prime minister of India at a time of grave economic crisis. Through his bold leadership, our country was able to overcome many challenges successfully,” Sonia said in her message.

TRS asks opponents to withdraw from poll fray 

Animal husbandry minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav has appealed to the rival parties to withdraw from the MLC poll fray in honour of the PV Narasimha Rao family, particularly annoying the Congress leaders.

“The TRS is trying to exploit the political image of Narasimha Rao, who was made the PM by the Congress Party. The TRS should withdraw its evil plans and give due respect to the family,” Ponnam retorted.