KCR is preparing to go the Chiranjeevi way. Reliable sources confirm that KCR has in principle agreed to merge Telangana Rashtra Samithi with Congress Party. KCR’s offer was made through a mediator to Congress high command during his recent stay in the national capital.
TRS sources say that Congress Party is veering round to the view that a decision in favour of division is the best option for it in the current political scenario. With Jagan Mohan Reddy set to capture most of the Andhra and Rayalaseema regions, Congress can make a positive impact at least in Telangana by taking up the separate state cause.
The Andhra leaders’ argument all these days has been that the party would stand to gain if it stuck to the united state theme. But given the surge in YSR Congress Party’s fortunes, the party leadership is no more convinced that it has any chances left in the Andhra region.
It is in this backdrop that Congress and TRS have renewed backdoor negotiations on the issue. KCR reportedly expressed his willingness to discuss the issue of sharing revenues of Hyderabad city and the proposal for forming Telangana with Kurnool and Anantapur districts.
TRS, which was not comfortable with the idea of Rayala Telangana, is now seeing many benefits in adding two more districts to Telangana. The move will ensure that Srisailam project falls within Telangana. The new state will have opened up a corridor to Bangalore. MIM, which has been a prominent obstacle for TRS, is also expected to support the proposal.
KCR’s mind is so set on the merger with the Congress Party that he has been reportedly dissuading many Congress leaders joining his party, saying there was no point now since TRS would be merging with the latter anyway.
The move is likely to take a firm shape after the -by-elections to the 18 seats likely to be held in June-July.
