Hyderabad: TRS Mancherial MLA, Gaddam Arvinda Reddy’s meeting with state Congress in-charge Digvijay Singh in New Delhi has created a flutter in political circles.
Arvind Reddy, who returned to city, was cynosure of all eyes in the Assembly following rumours that he may join Congress. “I met Digvijay Singh to request him to ensure that Congress expedites the up Telangana bifurcation process. I assured him that Congress will win 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana if statehood is granted,” Arvinda Reddy told this correspondent.
He clarified that he had gone on his own to assure the Congress. “I want Telangana. Someone has to assure the Congress high command that it will gain by granting Telangana,”?he said.
Whether he favoured merger of TRS with Congress or not, he quipped, “Any major party will opt for merger.”
" Reddy's comments that Congress could win 17 seats in Telangana indicated that the party was on verge of merger. Arvinda Reddy denied he was planning to join the Congress party. "Where is the need? I won by 80,000 votes on TRS ticket."
TRS leaders, especially those seeking tickets for Assembly and Lok Sabha elections are in a dilemma, since there is no clear indication from the party leadership whether the party plans a merger before polls, after polls or will not be merged at all.
Meanwhile, in a new twist, Jukkal TD MLA Hanamath Shinde, who recently joined TRS, is reportedly planning to vote for Telugu Desam nominee in the Rajya Sabha election.
