TRS ahead in campaign while Oppn stitches alliance

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which has already declared 112 candidates for the 119-member Assembly, is far ahead in campaigning compared to the Opposition which is desperately trying to stitch a “Grand Alliance”.

The Congress, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the new entrant Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) have formed an alliance to fight the TRS-AIMIM combine in the state which will go to polls on December 7. With elections less than a month-and-a-half away, the grand alliance is still struggling to reach a consensus over seat-sharing.

The talks reached a stalemate after the TJS demanded 35-40 seats. While the TDP has claimed 20 to 25 seats where it is sure of winning, the CPI is demanding 12 seats. However, the Congress, which has agreed to be benevolent following the Karnataka model, is only ready to sacrifice 20-25 seats for the alliance partners.

“We will sort out problems through discussions and face elections together despite initial hiccups,” TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

TDP president Nara Chandrababu Naidu recently asked his leaders to be reasonable while demanding seats. “Any delay in this regard will benefit the TRS,” he said.

Problems galore for TRS

Despite dissidence in some party units, including Khanapur and Warangal, the TRS is much ahead of the alliance with five successful public meetings to its credit so far.

TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, who is projecting the TDP as an Andhra party, is banking on the emotive issue, a major factor in the bifurcation of the state. KCR will soon embark on another round of campaigning in Telangana. KCR also announced salient features of the party manifesto to help the candidates.

The TRS is confident that the ongoing irrigation schemes, rapid development of Hyderabad, two-bedroom house scheme and drinking water for every household will help the party sail through the elections.

However, the party is also facing trouble in the shape of rebels. TRS MLC Ramulu Naik and Khanapur MLA Ramesh Rathod have deserted the TRS and shifted loyalties to the Congress after they were denied party tickets.

Warangal MLA Konda Surekha quit the TRS and joined the Congress.

The TRS on Friday suspended Narsa Reddy, former MLA from Gajwel, for anti-party activities. He is set to join the Congress. Reddy joined the TRS from the Congress after KCR won the seat in the 2014 elections.