KCR shelves idea of national party?

Hyderabad: TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao is said to be taking measured steps regarding the launch of a new national level political party. KCR, who is known for his astute political moves while holding talks with like-minded political parties on the issue of announcing the launch of a national party, is closely assessing the ground situation in Telangana.

Party sources said KCR had been frequently interacting with some of the party leaders and has also hired some survey agencies and was in close consultation with his political strategist. For KCR, party leaders say, winning the Assembly elections for third consecutive term is as important as launching a national party if not more. But he does not want to do anything in a tearing hurry and make wrong moves.

Unlike during the past two elections, the party feels, it will have to put in more efforts to win the Assembly elections as on one hand anti-incumbency factor is growing and on the other the opposition parties BJP and Congress are trying to make inroads into the TRS bastions. The BJP is all set to hold its National Executive in Hyderabad and the Congress has gained some ground in districts like Nalgonda and Khammam. Added to this problem, TRS is facing internal squabbles in some districts.

This being the situation, the need to focus on strategies to retain power in the state becomes more important than venturing into national politics at least for the present, party leaders feel.

Initially, it was felt that KCR may launch the national party towards second half of July. But now TRS supremo wants to ensure that the pink party was back in driver's seat even if there was some fall in the majority.

The ground reports, according to TRS leaders, suggest that the Congress party has been able to make some inroads and bring together the Reddy community particularly in districts like Nalgonda and Khammam. The BJP too is going all out in its campaign by organising booth level committees and door-to-door campaigns.

Sources claim that speculation in political circles is that there would be early elections. That is why all parties have gone into campaign mode. On the other hand, the announcement of the Union Government to introduce the Agnipath scheme and the way the Congress party is trying to convert it into an election issue is also causing worry to TRS.

In the backdrop of this situation, leaders said that KCR may think of putting on hold his plans to launch a national party.