TDP for cobbling up grand alliance to take on TRS

​Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu is all set to play a key role in Telangana State politics in the run up to the Assembly elections. The Telugu Desam Party supremo has mooted the formation of a ‘grand alliance’ with all Opposition parties, mainly the Congress, Left and Kodandaram’s Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) to fight the TRS. As a first step, the TDP will arrive at consensus with the Congress on the poll pact before joining hands with the Left and other parties.      

At a meeting held with TDP Telangana unit leaders at the Lakeview Guest House here on Saturday, Naidu discussed the strength of his party and winning prospects in Assembly constituencies mainly the BC-dominated and Seemandhra people concentrated segments. Party State unit president L Ramana told Naidu that the TDP has strong hold in at least 30 Assembly
constituencies.  

Naidu instructed his party leaders to zero in on the Assembly segments where the party has winning chances in partnership with the Congress. The TDP leaders have already identified Kukatpally, Medchal, Sherlingampally, Malkajgiri, Jubilee Hills, Sattupalli, Korutla, Wanaparthy, Devarakadra, Armoor, Parakala, Khammam and Jadcherla constituencies to field its candidates.  

In the preliminary talks held with the Congress leaders, the TDP asked for the allocation of 25 Assembly segments to the party under prepoll alliance. The Congress leadership is ready to give between 15 and 17 seats, most of them in Greater Hyderabad limits only.  The Congress committee, consisting of A Revanth Reddy, Madhu Yashki Goud and N S Bose Raju, has been entrusted with sorting out the allotment of Assembly seats to the TDP in the ensuing elections. A meeting between TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and TDP chief is likely to be held in a day or two to finalise the prepoll alliance.    

Addressing the state TDP extended body meeting at the party office NTR Trust Bhavan, Naidu launched a broadside at the BJP-led NDA and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He alleged that the Centre is trying to create enmity between Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and himself on various pending issues between Andhra and Telangana post bifurcation. He alleged that the Union government did not honour the promises made to the two Telugu States and also failed in fulfilling the assurances given in the AP Reorganisation Act.   

Claiming that he developed Telangana during his regime in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, Naidu said the TDP is a historical necessity for Telangana. The TDP chief promised to extend all kinds of assistance to the Telangana unit of the party in the elections.