No-trust move TRS to wait and watch

Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has decided to adopt a wait-and-watch approach to the no-confidence motion moved by the Telugu Desam Party and YSRCP against the NDA government in the Lok Sabha.

Though the TRS has lately taken an anti-BJP stand and its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao is busy in assembling a federal front against the Congress and the BJP, the pink party is very circumspect on whether or not to support the no-confidence motion.

The TRS members have been raising the issue of enhancement of reservations to the STs and minorities and fulfilment of promises made to Telangana in the AP State Reorganisation Act in the Lok Sabha almost every day but in regard to the no-confidence motion, they are being very wary.

Reliable sources in the party said that they would take a call when the no-confidence motion is taken up in the Lok Sabha. As of now only notices have been moved and for the notice to be admitted at least 50 MPs should support it, “Let us see what happens in the House on Monday. For a notice to be admitted, the House should be in order which appears unlikely,” the sources said.

The sources said the TRS was being very careful because it does not want to play into the hands of the TDP and YSRC who have their own agenda in moving the no-confidence motion.

The TRS originally was in two minds on whether to support the motion or not. TRS secretary general K Keshava Rao had said that they would not support the motion since it is a political gimmick but maintained that his party supported the demand for special category status. Now the party sources said they would watch the developments closely before taking a decision.

TRS leader in the Lok Sabha AP Jitender Reddy said that a lot would depend on the numbers. “If there is any concrete effort and if the numbers are against the NDA, the TRS would support the motion and if there is not much support then the party would remain neutral,” said the TRS leader. 

The TRS has 11 members in the House, excluding three members who had joined the pink party from the Congress, TDP and YSRCP. The sources in the TRS said the YSRCP and TDP have garnered the support of 200 MPs. 

In such a scenario, there is no point in supporting the motion. The best option is to remain neutral. However, any decision would have to be taken in the Parliamentary Party meeting, the TRS leader said. 

Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao is slated to visit Kolkata and meet West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday afternoon. A discussion on the no-confidence motion is also likely to come up between the two leaders in the meeting.

By K Chandrasekhar