Hyderabad: The long expected realignment of political forces has started with Telugu Desam leader A. Revanth Reddy expected to join the Congress soon.
TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has reviewed the situation and reportedly asked senior leaders and ministers to see that the Congress does not gain strength.
Sources said Mr Rao doesn’t favour a direct fight between the TRS and the Congress, but prefers a triangular or multi-cornered contest since the BJP is set to field candidates in almost all Assembly segments across the state.
“There will be a sort of anti-government vote in any election; if the BJP tries to improve its vote share by another 3 to 5 per cent, besides their existing 3 per cent vote, nothing will come in the way of the TRS bagging a majority due to the split in the opposition vote. So we hope the BJP increases its vote share,” a senior TRS functionary said.
KCR scouts for more defectors
According to TRS sources, TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao Rao wants fresh inductions into the party from the Congress and the Telugu Desam, but has instructed that only those who will be useful to the TRS, should be targeted.
According to the TRS chief’s calculations, the TD will disintegrate in the state in the next few months as developments in the party will push its leaders to chose other political destinations such as the TRS, Congress and the BJP.
The TRS will concentrate on getting more defections from the Congress, as there are those who are not comfortable with the way the party is functioning.
The CM has suggested that the party concentrate on Assembly seat-wise reviews and on social equations, as some caste groups have polarised towards certain political parties. Counter strategies must be worked out so that socially strong groups support the TRS.
