TRS MLA Shakil keen on joining BJP at Amit Shah meet

In a rude shock to ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), a party MLA belonging to the minority community declared his intentions to join the BJP.

Mohammed Shakil Aamir (representing Bodhan) met Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Aravind of the BJP on Thursday and reportedly expressed his wish to join the national party in presence of party chief Amit Shah during his visit to the state on 17, the liberation day of Telangana.

Sources in the MP's office said that the meeting between Aamir and Aravind lasted for about 20-minutes, during which Aamir conveyed his intentions.

Later, Aravind tagging his party bosses — ostensibly, informing them —tweeted, “Bodhan MLA Shakeel garu (TRS) paid a visit to me at my residence today. We had a wide range of discussions on current political scenario in state and Nizamabad district.@AmitShah @JPNadda @BJP4Telangana.”

The BJP Telangana unit is preparing a strategy to spring a surprise with a large number of inductions in presence of Amit Shah on September 17.

Shah, who is concentrating on strengthening the party in Telangana, will be participating in the Hyderabad Liberation Day event against the wishes of the TRS, which fears communal tensions if the day is celebrated officially.

Shakeel is among the nearly half a dozen legislators disappointed with the raw deal meted out to them in the Cabinet expansion carried out by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on September 8.

KCR had inducted his son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, along with four others including two women ministers.

The party has been trying to pacify the dissidents by promising them recognition in nominated posts.

Former home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy alleged that KCR had ditched him by going back on his promise to induct him in the Cabinet.

Former ministers Jogu Ramanna and Jupally Krishna Rao were among the disappointed lot.

Shakeel says that he has waited for almost two years for recognition from the party chief.

He is fed up and is now joining the BJP.

Shakeel expressed that there is no respect for MLAs in the TRS party that is dominated by KCR family. He is said to be upset that KCR had gone back on his promise to induct him in the Cabinet.