Telugu Desam Party has decided to maintain a “strategic silence” over Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s latest ‘run with the hare and hunt with the hounds’ political tactic, till the general election results are out – apparently, to see the number of seats the regional party would bag.
An embarassed TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu is stated to have spoken to CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat over the issue and summoned a meeting of senior leaders like K. Yerran Naidu, Nagam Janardhan Reddy, Kadiam Srihari and K. Ramamohan Rao before arriving at such a decision.
TDP sources said Mr. Karat too counselled patience till the announcement of results when the actual number of seats won by political parties would be known. The Grand Alliance as well as the Third Front’s post-election strategy could then be finalised and recast if necessary accordingly, he is believed to have told Mr. Naidu.
Party’s senior leaders too concurred with the view and the refrain was to adopt a wait-and-watch policy rather than precipitate matters by reacting to the unfolding situation.
Though incensed by Mr. Rao’s ‘illogical’ move to go out of his way in supporting BJP-led NDA, the TDP drew some consolation from the fact that TRS had made it clear it would remain with the Grand Alliance in the State. Nevertheless, senior party leaders are puzzled by Mr. Rao’s “hasty and premature step” to gravitate towards NDA at a time when the Third Front had a better chance of forming the government at the Centre. It was for TRS leadership to explain why the party made common cause with NDA after the polling was over even though the BJP had promised Telangana much earlier.
In their perception, Mr. Rao’s action was merely aimed at gaining better bargaining power after elections and could still change his mind after a clear picture emerged.
Strengthening ties
Meanwhile, as part of its efforts to strengthen the relationship among the parties that have pledged their support to the Third Front, Mr. Ramamohan Rao is meeting BSP general secretary S. C. Mishra in New Delhi in a day or two.
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