K Chandrasekhar Rao, YS Jagan Mohan overt bond may hurt prospects in AP
Hyderabad: The “return gift” promised by Telangana state Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao may prove to be a boon for his counterpart, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is fighting anti-incumbency in the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
The public overtures of the TRS towards YSRC president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy may adversely impact the AP Opposition party in the elections.
After routing the Congress-TD combine in the Assembly elections, Mr Rao had announced that his party would give a “return gift” and play a crucial role in the elections in AP. MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi had assured support to Mr Reddy against Mr Naidu.
Mr Rao had turned the TS poll campaign in his favour by targeting the Congress-TD alliance, saying it would drag Telangana’s pride at the feet of the Delhi and Amaravati leaders and would result in the merger of the two Telugu states.
Mr Naidu could adopt a similar tactic, it was stated. On Wednesday, during the first-ever meeting between the TRS and YSRC after state bifurcation, Mr Reddy and TRS leader K.T. Rama Rao did not mention Mr Naidu while briefing mediapersons.
Sources in both parties indicated that the meeting focused on taking on Mr Naidu, the arch rival of both parties.
TRS MLAs who visited AP to participate in the Sankranti festivities have stated in their private conversations that any overt TRS campaign in support of the YSRC in the ensuing polls could have an adverse effect on the AP Opposition party.
The MLAs said that Mr Naidu was an expert in turning adversities into opportunities and would rake up the ‘Andhra sentiment’ of the people in case the TRS openly supports the YSRC.
They said Mr Reddy’s image was high after his 3,650-km Praja Sankalpa Yatra, but this could be affected in case of an open campaign by the TRS.
The TRS MLAs said in their private conversations that the strategy which Mr Reddy had adopted in the TS elections, of supporting the TRS from the sidelines without coming into the front, had proven beneficial.
They felt that instead open support, the YSRC would be better helped by an ‘underground’ campaign in support.
