In T-state, Oppn acts to check mass exodus to TRS

In an otherwise issue-less election in Telangana this time, the beleaguered opposition parties are determined to highlight the decimation of opposition benches in the state Assembly and council by the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

With the TRS unleashing its “Operation Akarsh” immediately after the Assembly polls, nine of the 19 Congress lawmakers have declared their intention to join the TRS. On the other hand, disqualification of Congress MLCs has made the Telangana Legislative Council virtually opposition-free for the time being.

In a bid to stem this rot before it engulfed the party, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) swung into action and issued show cause notices to turncoat legislators.

The TRS, benefiting from the breach in Congress, gained an extra MLC seat and has fielded the additional MLC under the MLA quota.

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) which had won two seats as part of the Mahaghatbandhan also lost one MLA to TRS. The yellow party is so badly bruised that it decided to stay out of the ensuing Lok Sabha elections for which the polling is scheduled on April 11.

During the Assembly elections in December last, the Congress had to pay dearly for aligning with the TDP, considered as a predominantly Andhra party. This time, the Congress is fielding 17 of its candidates without a seat-sharing arrangement with any other political outfit. The selection of candidates was made based purely on the strength of the candidates. Many candidates, such as A Revanth Reddy, who lost the MLA elections were considered for the Lok Sabha polls.

Zimmedar KCR for Delhi

The TRS, fresh from its victory in the recent Assembly elections, is fighting the election on the “KCR for Delhi” slogan. The aim of the pink party is to secure victory in 16 seats and strengthen the hands of the leader who will, in turn, play an important role in the proposed Federal Front. “KCR achieved separate statehood for Telangana with the strength of two Members of Parliament, imagine what KCR can do if we give him 16 seats,” TRS working president and KCR’s son K Taraka Rama Rao said. Ridiculing the “chowkidar” campaign, KTR said that the country needs a “Zimmedar PM” and not a gatekeeper.