Till now 31 lakhs had joined in TRS membership

Hyderabad April 03: We all know that Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has recently started the enrollment of membership in the city, till now 31 lakhs members have joined in this, but TRS is targeted to join 50 lakhs membership in this year.

Of the 24 assembly constituencies in the Greater Hyderabad limits, only three MLAs from Secunderabad, Malkajgiri and Patancheru were elected on TRS tickets in the 2014 elections. Later, a majority of the TDP MLAs in the city, except LB Nagar MLA R Krishnaiah, joined TRS as part of 'Operation Akarsh'. Scores of TDP workers also switched over during that period.



Now, the TRS is focussing on enrolling those who were previously with the Congress and the BJP. The party has made its Greater Hyderabad president Mynampally Hanmanth Rao and mayor Bonthu Rammohan as in-charge of the membership drive. Party general secretary Palla Rajeshwar Reddy has been asked to take care of constituencies such as Serlingampally, LB Nagar, Ibrahimpatam, Maheshwaram and Rajendranagar as well as Yadadri-Bhongir and Nalgonda.

The party is also giving equal importance to the Old City, where all the seven assembly constituencies are represented by MLAs of the All India Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

"There has been an overwhelming response from the people towards taking TRS membership. Many are attracted to the welfare schemes," Hanmanth Rao told media. Party sources said that the TRS currently has about 51 lakh members in the state and is targeting 60 lakh new members in the drive that started in the third week of March and will end on April 7.

"The party is focusing on expansion to newer areas and villages, where its influence is minimal, instead of increasing the numbers in areas where it has good strength," Rajeshwar Reddy told media.

The TRS collects Rs 30 for general membership and Rs 100 for active membership (Rs 50 for SC/STs). It also extends insurance cover of up to Rs 1 lakh.