TRS chief's federal front move a non-starter: TDP

TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao's move towards forging a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front is a non-starter, said a key Telangana TDP leader, who claimed that the Chief Minister's gameplan was to help the Amit Shah-led party by 'splitting' anti-NDA votes.

As things stand today, there are only two fronts -- the NDA and UPA with their allies -- and only two-three regional parties are outside these combinations, Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy said.

"This gentleman (Rao) wants to have alliance with (TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee, (Samajwadi Party President) Akhilesh (Yadav) and (Biju Janata Dal supremo) Naveen Patnaik", the TDP (Telugu Desam Party) politburo member said.

Reddy said Banerjee "has been with the Congress a number of occasions".

"Patnaik will not join any front. He will have his own thinking, his own ideology. It (Rao's federal front proposal) is non-starter as of now," he told PTI.

Reddy also alleged that the BJP was hand-in-glove with TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samiti).

"TRS, BJP, MIM, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's YSCRP all those combined together in Telangana (Assembly elections). MIM contested limited number of seats but campaigned extensively for TRS," he said.

The BJP contested in 118 seats out of the total 119 but forfeited security deposits in 105 constituencies, he said, despite BJP President Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 16 Union Ministers, and some Chief Ministers campaigning for the party.

"They (BJP) helped TRS by splitting anti-TRS votes (in the December seven Assembly polls)," Reddy said.

"Anti-TRS votes were effectively split by BJP. By virtue of that, TRS got a massive victory".

"BJP definitely helps KCR (K Chandrasekhar Rao). BJP has split votes in Telangana, third front (Rao's proposed federal front) will split anti-NDA forces (votes)," he said.

In the December seven Assembly elections in Telangana, the TRS bagged 88 seats in the 119-member House, pushing the Congress to a distant second position with 19 seats.

The TDP, an alliance partner of Congress, bagged a mere two seats.