Sunday, March 10, 2013

TRS Into NDA Fold, Supports Modi Campaign

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is all set to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and, as a first step, its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao will address a public meeting along with BJP leader and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in the Telangana region. 
    
Party sources said the TRS has no option but to join the NDA in view of the lack of commitment on the part of the Congress to the separate state demand. However, the TRS will join the NDA only if it gets a major say in the Telangana region besides the lion’s share of seats in the 2014 elections. “The TRS is not averse to joining hands with any force including NDA in the interest of Telangana. The Congress has ditched us time and again, and it will be foolish to trust them. And as an alternative, one can look for a platform at the national level, including the NDA. However, we are particular about the TRS remaining the leading force in Telangana. As far as an electoral understanding is concerned, a final decision will be taken in the due course,” Sircilla MLA K Taraka Rama Rao told INN. 
    
Sources said the Gujarat chief minister has already confirmed his visit to Hyderabad and the Telangana region. “Modi’s visit is most likely to happen in the last week of March or the first week of April. And he will address one public meeting most likely in Hyderabad and tour the Telangana region,” said the BJP sources. 
    
While KTR did not want to comment on Narendra Modi’s tour, sources in the TRS said KCR is likely to share the dais with the Gujarat chief minister and they will address a rally in any selected town in Telangana. “We have invited Narendra Modi to tour the Telangana region as he is the best person to convey to the people that a separate state is a certainty if the NDA comes to power,” said BJP state president G Kishan Reddy. BJP plans Telangana ‘Poru Yatra’ after Modi’s visit. 

The game plan of the NDA is to convey the message to the Telangana people that a national party like BJP and a regional party that has been spearheading the separate state movement for the last decade and half could realize the aspirations of the people of the region. “With the combination of Modi and KCR, the NDA should put up a good performance in the region,” said the sources.
    
Independent MLA Nagam Janardana Reddy too indicated that he would join the NDA. Nagam heads the Telangana Nagara Samithi. “It is time all pro-Telangana forces got consolidated under the NDA umbrella,” he said. 
    
Following Modi’s visit, the local leaders will launch a ‘Poru Yatra’ led by Kishan Reddy in Telangana. And the pro-Telangana forces including the TRS, Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (TJAC), and Telangana Nagara Samithi (TNS) of Nagam are expected to support the ‘Yatra.’ 
    
“We are confident that Modi would be made the prime ministerial candidate shortly, and we are waiting for the announcement. Telangana movement would get a fillip once the leader of Modi’s stature champions the cause,” said Kishan Reddy.

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