Date:04/02/2004 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2004/02/04/stories/2004020402960400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Unease in TRS over Narendra's remarks

By W. Chandrakanth

HYDERABAD, FEB. 3. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leadership may soon encounter "attitudinal problems" on the issue of electoral alliances with the Opposition due to the strident anti-Congress stand of its senior leader, A. Narendra.

Mr. Narendra, who is technically a BJP MP even now, had joined hands with the TRS as "an equal partner in the struggle for achieving separate Telangana State," and hence is said to have an equal say in matters concerning talks. His outbursts against any alliance, of late, are raising eyebrows within the party.

There is an apprehension that the party may encounter some rough weather unless it approaches the voter with full clarity on its objective. The TRS sailing may not be smooth unless it has an alliance with the Opposition. Its president, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, is aware of the fact that a split in the opposition ranks will only complicate the matters for it in the polls. There are some others who believe that even with an alliance, the going may not be easy for them to defeat the TDP-BJP combine in north Telangana.

There are already reports of some switching loyalties back to the parent party, particularly in Nizamabad district. Hence, the argument that it will be "suicidal" to go it alone. In case the party plans to go it alone, the TRS needs to have a credible argument to ensure it does not get projected as helping the ruling TDP-BJP combine.

Another problem facing the TRS president is that of seat-sharing within, party sources say. Alliance or not, it is not going to be easy for Mr. Rao to deal with Mr. Narendra. A question often asked is what if Mr. Rao decides to have a truck with the Congress provided it `yields a little more ground?"

A third factor causing as much concern to the TRS is the number of aspirants seeking ticket for the same seats. There are at least half a dozen contenders for a majority of the seats in the region where the party intends to contest (almost all Assembly seats) and many of them have spent "sufficient money so far" to lay a claim to their candidature. Denial of ticket could trigger a reverse migration, it is feared.