Hyderabad: With Cabinet expansion out of the way, the race for nominated posts has become hot in Telangana.

For a change, legislators are giving a tough time to TRS activists in the run-up for nominated posts. This has made many activists angry.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is flooded with petitions from TRS MLAs, legislators who joined the party recently, TRS leaders and activists, recommendations from ministers and senior party leaders for various nominated posts.

The recent appointments to the Telangana Public Service Commission, Development Board, parliamentary secretaries, Whips and other offices has raised the hopes of aspirants, especially legislators.

They are trying their best to get noticed by the Chief Minister at every opportunity.

Mr Chandrasekhar Rao has to fill up several corporations and organisations including RTC, HMDA, mineral development corporation, HACA, TIIC, housing corporation, TCOB, KUDA and women’s commission to name a few.

“Several legislators are seeking nominated posts. The CM should go for one man/woman, one post. He should give corporation posts to party leaders and activists and not legislators who have already got tickets and are getting paid. This will ensure justice to all,” a TRS leader said.

According to another TRS leader, the Chief Minister snubbed a minister who commented against the dual posts of MLA and cultural academy chairman to Rasamayi Balakishan, who enthralled people with songs and dance during the Telangana movement.

“I spoke and he sang to win Telangana. Why should I not give him,” Mr Chandrasekhar Rao reportedly told the minister.

Cabinet rank posts like RTC chairman, HMDA and others which ensure a car, salary, accommodation and other perks, are most sought after by legislators and senior TRS leaders while others will have to be content with director and other posts in corporations, market committees and other organisations. RTC nomination will be delayed since it is yet to be bifurcated. Several MLAs including new entrants like Teegala Krishna Reddy, TRS politburo member Ramamohan and others are eyeing the HMDA vice-chairman post and RTC chairman posts.

Chief Minister as promised opened job mela for party leaders and others after Deepavali and has sofar filled several key posts in long pending Telangana Public Service Commission, chairman of cultural affairs Rasamayi Balakishan.

While appointment of Ganta Chakrapani as TPSC was foregone conclusion, the nomination of several members some of whom were rejected by Governor ESL Narasimhan including two professors and lawyers raised eye brows in TRS circles.

Reaching out to Chief Minister is no easy task for post aspirants since he had literally closed all doors for post seekers. In the process, the aspirants are making a beeline to IT Minister K T Rama Rao, Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao.