Hyderabad: TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao is eagerly awaiting the UP Assembly election results before taking a call on future allies of the TRS. The TRS chief, who appeared to be moving closer to BJP with his solid support to Prime Narendra Modi on demonetisation, was later upset at BJP-led NDA government ignoring Telangana requests in Union Budget presented last month.
TRS MPs even boycotted Parliament session for a few days to protest against the Centre not allotting AIIMS to the TS. The protest forced Centre to announce AIIMS later. If one goes by the mixed signals, TRS appears to be confused whether to ally with the BJP or the MIM or fight the 2019 elections on its own. According to TRS leaders the CM feels that UP poll outcome would give a clear picture on whom to ally with in 2019.
The TRS leaders say that the CM has planned TS Budget presentation on March 13, after UP election results so that he has time to make changes, if required, to cater to future electoral needs. The TRS fought 2014 elections on its own and secured a simple majority winning 62 seats out of total 119 Assembly seats and forming the government. “KCR feels that 2019 elections will be different. People will judge the TRS based on its performance in running the government for five years. It has to face anti-incumbency. It needs to ally with some party to minimise anti-incumbency and win the elections and to check split in positive vote for TRS government,” TRS leaders said.
The TRS’ major poll promises of constructing 2BHK houses for poor, 3-acre free land to Dalits, KG-to-PG free education, 12 per cent quota for Muslims and STs are yet to be fulfilled though the government is set to complete three years in office in another three months. “The government hardly has one more year to work unbridled. The last year of its rule will be election year, where time will be devoted mostly to political issues than administrative. Fulfilling major poll promises within the left over span is a difficult task. We have to look for suitable allies to mitigate the negative impact of not fulfilling the major poll promises,” the TRS leaders said.
