After being pushed to a corner on taking a decision on Telangana, the Congress is now contemplating presenting the K Chandrasekhara Rao-led TRS a merger proposal.
The Congress is keen on seeing the TRS, which is spearheading the Telangana movement, merge with it only to ensure that the national party derives mileage in the Telangana region in case a decision is taken in favour of the region’s statehood.
According to sources, senior Congress leaders have swung into action to make KCR agree to the proposal. Telangana region has 10 out of 23 districts in Andhra Pradesh and about 50% population.
The Congress, apart from lobbying by some powerful businessmen from the coastal Andhra region, is believed to be dragging its feet on the statehood issue since a pro-Telangana decision is expected to squarely benefit the TRS.
“There is no doubt that the TRS would get full benefit of any positive move by the Centre on Telangana. We have seen the result in a recent by-poll in about 12 assembly constituencies, where Congress candidates have lost their deposits, while TDP fell to the number 3 position. The TRS candidates had won with record majorities,” a senior Congress leader said. Sources said the party was keen on getting an assurance from the TRS on a merger before taking a final decision on Telangana.
“I don’t think the TRS will agree for a merger before a decision on the statehood issue is taken. The TRS is working with the sole objective of achieving statehood for the region, and once Telangana is formed, the TRS would have outlived its purpose,” Madhu Yaski Goud, a senior Congress MP from Telangana, said.
A senior TRS leader said, “TRS is mulling over the merger proposal, but to comment would be out of context right now. Once Telangana is formed there are going to be changes in the political equations in the region. We can’t speculate on merger now.”
The Congress is battling multiple opposition forces including the newly formed YSR Congress headed by YS Jaganmohan Reddy. While TDP is strong in coastal Andhra and parts of Telangana, YSR Congress is proving to be a tough nut to crack in Rayalaseema. The Chiranjeevi factor was recently nullified by making the actor-turned-politician merge his party with the Congress.
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