Brake to Op Akarsh gives Cong breathing space

Hyderabad: The Telangana Congress seems to have got a breathing space with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) giving 'Operation Akarsh' a break.

The 'Operation' is meant for lurching the MLAs from the Congress to the TRS, according to party sources.

It is almost 25 days since the 'Operation' came to a halt. But the Congress leaders sounded a note of caution and stressed the need to keep a watchful eye on the TRS party's next move.

Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy was the 11th MLA from the Congress to announce his decision to defect to the TRS. He intended to join the ruling party on April 20.

Since then, there was no move from the ruling party to lure more MLAs from the Grand Old Party. If two more MLAs desert the party, the Congress party could lose the status of an Opposition party in the State Assembly.

The TRS, according to sources, planned to ensure that the Congress Legislature Party merges with the TRS Legislature Party by attracting 13 MLAs from the Grand Old Party.

The party leaders have claimed that TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy has thrown a spanner in the works of plan by addressing a letter to the Assembly Speaker, explaining the procedure for such a merger of Legislature Parties. He urged the Speaker not to allow such a move to happen.

Meanwhile, the Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka launched 'Save Democracy' tour in the districts and visited several constituencies of the defected MLAs. The Congress leaders also approached the High Court on the issue.

The Congress leaders felt that the TRS could have halted the 'Operation' in the view of impending development at the national level after the announcement of Lok Sabha election results on May 23.

In the post-election scenario, if the Congress-led front or third front with the support of the Congress forms the government at the Centre, the TRS may find it difficult to carry out its plan for merger of the Congress Legislature Party with the TRS Legislature Party.

And, If the BJP or third front with the support of the BJP, forms the government at the Centre, the TRS may find it easy to implement its strategy, the party leaders added.