Telangana Congress MPs To Play 'Waiting Game' In AP

Though Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief K Chandrasekhar Rao succeeded in luring a TDP MLA into his party fold, seven T Congress MPs are still wary of joining his party. The T Congress MPs, led by senior party leader K Keshava Rao, who met on Monday, could not conclude their deliberations in the backdrop of the proposal from other colleagues to float a forum to contest the elections in a tie-up with the TRS. Union minister S Jaipal Reddy and panchayat raj minister K Jana Reddy are said to be behind the move to set up a forum of like-minded T-forces to contest in the next general elections. 
    
MPs G Vivekananda, Ponnam Prabhakar, S Rajaiah and Keshava Rao met at the residence of Vivekananda and discussed various options. A second meeting is expected to be held at the residence of Keshava Rao on Tuesday. The T Congress MPs including Madhu Yaski Goud, Ponnam Prabhakar, G Vivekananda, Gutha Sukhender Reddy, S Rajaiah, Komati Reddy Rajagopal Reddy and Manda Jagannatham hold different views on joining the TRS as a remedy for the delay on the part of the Congress in moving forward on Telangana.
 
    
While some fear that they would become voiceless and anonymous once they join the TRS controlled by the KCR family, others want to remain in the party and fight for the separate state. But at the same time, they are apprehensive that the Congress will not fare well in the polls as long as it continues with its current policy on the separate state demand. 
    
Of the T MPs, Manda Jagannatham is of the view that he has no future in Mahbubnagar with minister D K Aruna controlling the party in the district. As a result, Manda, who feels alienated in the party, wants to quit as early as possible. The leader of the team and former MP Keshava Rao though arguing in favour of strengthening the pro-Telangana forces, does not want to disown his Congress legacy. “I will not quit the party and I am not interested in electoral politics,” he told INN. 
    
Some clarity is expected in next meeting. The MP, who is pressing for joining the TRS at the earliest is Manda while Vivekananda and Rajaiah want to wait for some time, at least till the end of the budget session of Parliament. Nalgonda MP Gutta Sukhender Reddy, Bhongir member Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy and Karimnagar MP Ponnam Prabhakar are also undecided as they want to hold more talks with the TRS chief before taking a decision. 
    

Sources close to the Nagarkurnool MP said Manda would be the first to switch over to the TRS by announcing his decision to join the TRS on April 22, the day Parliament would meet after the recess. "Manda will raise the T- issue and seek a statement from the party on the floor of the House. He is prepared to stall the House and will not hesitate to get suspended. After that, he will formally announce his decision to quit the party citing lack of response from the party leadership," said an MP who attended Monday’s meeting. 
    
Meanwhile, Vivekananda on Monday held a meeting with his supporters in Peddapalli to discuss the matter. According to sources, the stumbling block for him is the long legacy of his father G Venkatswamy’s association with the Congress. Venkatswamy was minister in many governments at the Centre. 

On the other hand, In a bid to cash in on their political uncertainty, TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao is stepping up pressure on the elected representatives from the Telangana region in the Congress and TDP to join its fold before April 27 when the party is scheduled to celebrate its formation day at a public function in Armoor town of Nizamabad district. In the midst of the hectic parleys, TDP MLA Gangula Kamalakar met KCR on Monday and said he would join the TRS. 

While KCR wants him to join the party during the public rally on April 27, the Karimnagar MLA want to formalize his admission into the party in front of his voters in the constituency. Sources said he is likely to join TRS even before April 27. Six more TDP legislators including Choppadandi MLA Suddala Deviah are said to be in talks with KCR and the TRS supremo is pressing them to make a quicker decision. “I have decided to join TRS for the Telangana cause. I will try to complete the formalities at the earliest,” said Kamalakar. 

TRS sources said KCR has conveyed to the Congress and TDP Telangana leaders that they had to take a quick decision as he was planning to announce the party candidates for the next polls in phases. The TRS chief wants to release the first list at the Armoor meeting, but may postpone the announcement if there are no sizeable defectors on hand by April 27. “KCR is making it clear that once the list is announced, the doors would be closed on the defectors. He has taken this step because he didn’t want to drag the issue further,” said a TRS leader.