Kiran Reddy's party to win 50 seats, says MLA

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy is holding one-to-one discussions with several ruling party members who have been on the verge of crossing over to either the YSR Congress or the Telugu Desam. This has increased speculation that Reddy is at last floating a new political party and hopes to become kingmaker in the residuary state.

Attention will be focused on the CM’s moves in the next few weeks, starting with the speech he is to give during the debate on the AP Reorganisation Bill 2013. CMO sources said that he has been devoting much time to preparing the speech, which is likely to last for six to seven hours. The CM’s moves will also come under scrutiny once the process for the Rajya Sabha polls begins next month.

At least half-a-dozen members and two ministers said on condition of anonymity that the CM discussed with them the possibility of starting a new party. “He says that we (the new party) can win 50 seats and play a decisive role after the division,” said a Congress MLA from the coastal districts.

Reddy is said to be trying to stop MLAs from joining other parties. He claims that extensive surveys carried out by his agencies have revealed a political vacuum in Seemandhra, said a minister.

CM keeps cards close to his chest

A minister, who hails from the coastal districts and is in negotiations with both the Telugu Desam and the YSRC, held a frank discussion with Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and wanted the latter to spell out his stand once the Assembly session gets over on January 23. “Except for saying that a separate political outfit is very much on the cards, he refused to share other information, saying that we are leaking information to the media,” the minister said.

Some ruling party leaders, however, are sceptical about the Chief Minister floating a political outfit. “I have my doubts about the political vacuum in Seemandhra if division takes place. The new outfit can make electoral gains only if the 2014 election is held when the state is still united,” said law minister E. Pratap Reddy.

Other leaders were of the opinion that the Chief Minister strongly believes that division will not take place before the 2014 polls and wants to stretch his term till end.

Next: TRS may not give CM’s post to dalit

TRS may not give CM’s post to dalit

Ch V.M. KRISHNA RAO | DC

Hyderabad: TRS president K. Chandrasekhara Rao has reportedly agreed to the popular demand within his party that he should be the Chief Minister of Telangana, and the post should not go to a dalit as the party had once promised.

“To convert the existing Telangana, which was subjected to battering all these years, into golden Telangana state needs a visionary, not any ordinary leader. Chandrasekhar Rao, the man responsible for getting Telangana state, should be the Chief Minister. This is the popular demand not only from the TRS cadres but even the people of the region,” claimed a senior leader of the TRS.

Sources close to  Rao have confirmed that he has agreed to lead the Telangana government. “It is a fact that Rao has said a number of times in public that he will not be the CM of Telangana and instead a dalit will be the next CM. But of late that has changed as many dalit leaders are requesting KCR to be the CM,” said a key source.

No Tie-up with Congress: KCR to tell Sonia

A key source surmised that immediately after the formation of Telangana state, the Congress could stake claim to form the government and it may remain in power for a few weeks. But after the Assembly elections, the TRS will come to power and K. Chandrasekhar Rao will be the Chief Minister.

Rao has decided that the TRS will not have an electoral tie-up with the Congress nor will the party merge with the Congress. “If we go for tie-up or any other relationship with the Congress, it will not only be suicidal for the TRS but also lead to the rise of the BJP.

We conducted a survey across Telangana and found that the TRS will bag anywhere between 80 to 90 Assembly seats out of 119 if we go it alone,” a source in the party said.

Sources say Rao will meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi by January end, to thank her for granting Telangana statehood. He will also convey the party’s decision to contest elections on its own. While the party could extend support to the UPA after the Lok Sabha polls, it will not have any understanding with the Congress before the polls, the source said.

Almost all the political parties in the country are declining to have any pre-poll understanding with either the UPA or NDA alliances, hoping they will fare well in the Lok Sabha elections in their respective states and will then be in a better position to bargain after the election.