Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

KCR’s meeting with BJP leaders leaves political parties bemused

HYDERABAD: Telangana Rashtra Samiti president K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s meeting with BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Rajnath Singh in New Delhi has left political parties bemused.

This meeting against the backdrop of his parleys with Left parties’ leaders Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury and A. B. Bardhan, leaders of the other parties say, brings out the confusion within the party after its setback in the recent by-elections in Telangana. The contradiction stems from the fact that the CPI (M) is totally opposed to Telangana whereas the BJP is in its favour. After the trust vote in Parliament, Mr. Rao was expected to sail with the third front, an alliance of the Left, Telugu Desam, BSP and other parties, after he attended a breakfast meeting convened at the residence of BSP supremo Mayawati.

He, however, did not talk to TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu who was present.

The TRS leaders strongly assert that the meeting with BJP leaders were aimed at drumming up support for separate Telangana by networking all the parties. Such meetings would not necessarily mean alliances.

But, the meeting has surely left the BJP leaders surprised. “We really don’t understand the line he wants to take,” said a senior BJP leader.

They are, however, firm that the party could not think about any alliance with the TRS at the present juncture as the situation was still fluid.

Meanwhile, Telugu Desam Party Parliamentary leader K. Yerran Naidu clarified that his party was not against formation of separate Telangana State and the party would take an “appropriate decision” as early as possible in accordance with the wishes of the people.

The TDP’s core committee, at its meeting at Ieeja in Mahabubnagar district on July 31, would examine the issue with an open mind.

Mr. Yerran Naidu denied that the TDP had already held talks with Telangana Rashtra Samithi on the possibility of a tie-up.

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