leader of the pro-Telangana employees of Andhra Pradesh government, today joined the party.
K Swamy Goud, who was a top leader of state government employees in the region till his retirement from service a few months ago, joined the TRS here in the presence of its president K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Goud had played a crucial role in mobilising the employees in support of the separate statehood agitation in general and the 'sakala janula samme' (strike by all sections of people) last year in particular.
Welcoming Goud into the party, Rao announced him as the TRS candidate for the election to be held soon for the graduates' constituency of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council from north Telangana districts.
Goud has also been made a member of the TRS polit bureau.
He will be made a "Cabinet minister for the welfare of employees after the formation of separate Telangana state," Rao said.
Thanking the TRS president, Goud said he would strongly raise the issues of employees, Dalits and others.
Goud is the latest prominent person to join the TRS in recent times. A senior TDP leader from Ranga Reddy district, neighbouring Hyderabad, K Hareeswar Reddy joined the TRS yesterday. Reddy had been staying away from TDP for long in protest against what he claimed was the ambivalent stance on the separate statehood issue.
