TRS not joining the "Mahakutami"

Hyderabad Jan 22(PTI): Raising doubts over the formation of Mahakutami in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS)on Wednesday deferred announcing its "formal decision" to join hands with the TDP-Left combine in the state.

The TRS' move to put off its decision is apparently due to a stalemate over sharing of seats with the TDP in the Telangana region.

TRS Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao had said last week that his party would be part of the Mahakutami and set January 21 as the date for making a formal announcement in this regard.

TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu, CPI(M) state secretary B V Raghavulu and CPI state secretary K Narayana were supposed to visit the TRS headquarters at Telangana Bhavan to make the announcement on the formation of the alliance.

However, with the talks over seat-sharing between the TRS and the TDP ending in a deadlock, the announcement has been put off.

TRS state executive that met here today, approved a resolution empowering its president Chandrasekhar Rao to take a decision on poll alliances. The TDP, on the other hand, has entrusted the task of holding talks with TRS to Lok Sabha member Erraballi Dayakar Rao.

With Naidu set to tour the north coastal Andhra region for a week beginning tomorrow, the announcement on the Mahakutami is expected to happen only next month, party sources indicated.

Meanwhile, a top leader of the CPI(M) said, "It is for the TDP and the TRS to sort out the issue. Our tie-up with the TDP is already firm."

TRS wants the TDP to part with ten Lok Sabha and 51 Assembly seats as part of the electoral tie-up. The TDP, however, is ready to concede only seven Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly seats.

The TRS reportedly insisted that it would like to contest more number of Lok Sabha seats so as to emerge as a strong force at the Centre and apply pressure on the next government for creation of Telangana state. It offered to reduce the number of Assembly seats in the bargain.

The TDP, however, made it clear that conceding ten Lok Sabha seats to the alliance partner was not possible.

"Even if we leave three Lok Sabha seats to the Left parties in the Telangana region, we will be left only with only four seats. Discounting the Hyderabad seat that has been traditionally going into the Majlis Ittehadul Muslimeen's kitty, we will be effectively left with only three seats. This is not acceptable since we have a strong 30 per cent vote share in the region," the TDP had earlier told a TRS delegation.

The TDP have finally agreed to spare eight Lok Sabha seats to the TRS, who have said they would brief their president Chandrasekhar Rao and accordingly inform the TDP.

Meanwhile, Chandrababu Naidu held a tele-conference with senior party leaders on the Mahakutami and reportedly directed them to be firm on the number of seats to be shared with the TRS in particular.
(Source Hindu)