The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao has ruled out his party’s merger with the ruling Congress or alliance with any party in the next elections once again affirming the hardened stand of TRS on the issue of bifurcation of the State.
He made the comments at a meeting here on Monday with the district in-charges of the party and trainers to discuss the issue of conducting another round of training classes for party workers before the polls. It was also aimed at eliciting information on the concerns of people which could be placed before the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted by the Centre on the issue of bifurcation. Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao’s comments assume significance as they come a day ahead of the GoM’s meeting with political parties on the issue of bifurcation.
He is learnt to have told party leaders to take up in campaign mode that the TRS was opposed to merger as he had his own limitations on speaking further on the issue.
Party sources said the Mr. Rao’s comments were aimed at improving the party’s bargaining power, if necessary. The TRS is unhappy with reports that the Centre was inclined to give Union Territory status to Hyderabad.
The party is unwilling to share either revenue or administration of the city with the Centre or with the residuary State of Andhra Pradesh.
Separately, at a meeting with T-JAC chairman M. Kodandaram and other leaders, Mr. Rao discussed in detail the issues to be presented before GoM including the status of Hyderabad and Bhadrachalam division in Khammam district. Party leaders Kadiam Srihari and N. Narasimha Reddy said the TRS would not accept any conditions on Hyderabad.
“Formation of Telangana with 10 districts and Hyderabad as capital should happen in accordance with the convention,” Mr. Srihari asked.
