Telangana Governor Tamilisai to hold ‘praja darbar’ for public? TRS worried

The TRS is worried that Governor Tamilisai would follow her colleagues Kiran Bedi and Najeeb Jung, who were accused of undermining the elected government and running a parallel government.
Telangana Governor Tamilisai to hold ‘praja darbar’ for public? TRS worried
Telangana Governor Tamilisai to hold ‘praja darbar’ for public? TRS worried

Newly-appointed Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan’s interest in convening ‘praja darbars’ to hear public grievances has left the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) party rattled. The TRS is worried that the Governor, who was the BJP Tamil Nadu unit chief, would follow in the footsteps of her colleagues Kiran Bedi and Najeeb Jung, who were accused of undermining the elected government and running a parallel government. 

Former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry Kiran Bedi, had constantly engaged in a battle with the elected government led by Arvind Kejriwal and V Narayanaswamy respectively. 

However, the TRS is careful at not entering into a direct confrontation with the Governor yet, fearing that it could lead to a conflict between the BJP and TRS, which would help the BJP gain more foothold in the state and establish them as the alternative party.

On September 16, Amjed Ullah Khan, spokesperson of Majlis Bachao Tehreek wrote a letter to the Governor asking her to hold ‘praja darbar’ every week so that the public can share their grievances. He alleged that the Chief Minister has been overlooking the issues of the public. Further, taking to Twitter, he tagged her in a tweet regarding the same. Following this, she responded saying, “Thank you for the suggestion. Already under my consideration.”

However, the TRS party leaders have been instructed by party chief and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao to not go on the offensive against the Governor, despite knowing that Tamilisai was in active politics and her appointment as Governor in Telangana could create problems to them in the near future. 

A TRS leader on condition of anonymity said that TRS is not in a position to risk a conflict with the BJP. “We fear that it would be a repeat of Delhi and Puducherry if we go offensive, and damage our neutral relationship with the BJP,” he said, adding, “Though the BJP had defeated his (KCR’s) daughter from Nizamabad, KCR was accommodative and didn’t object to Tamilisai’s appointment for the same reason.”  

The TRS has been careful with their statements voicing their displeasure against Tamilisai. TRS legislative council whip Palla Rajeshwar Reddy told the The Times of India “Is any Governor in the country holding such praja darbars? Do rules permit that the Governor can do this? If that is so, we have no objection.”

At the Centre, the TRS party has been tacitly supporting the BJP in the Parliament including on issues like Triple Talaq, GST, RTI amendment and more recently Article 370, with the understanding that the BJP wouldn’t campaign aggressively against the TRS in Telangana. This calculated soft stance prevented the BJP to grow in Telangana state until 2018 (the BJP won only one seat in the Assembly elections); the BJP too felt the need for an ally in the form of TRS during their second-term in case they fall short of the majority and they too helped the TRS grow. However, the resounding victory of the BJP in 2019 general elections with a massive mandate, has bolstered them and given them hope to form the government in Telangana in 2023. 

 

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