All eyes are on the leaders of the Telugu states — from TRS, YSRCP to TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu — for they could play a crucial role in the next government after the Lok Sabha results on May 23. While Congress has been in talks with TDP, will TRS and YSRCP join hands with BJP?
New Delhi: In 2014, Uttar Pradesh turned out to be the state that helped the NDA sweep to victory. The state that has the largest number of Parliamentary constituencies (80) may not prove to be as lucky this time around. The BJP and Congress are at work to gather their allies to ensure they triumphantly walk the red carpet to the Lok Sabha after May 23.
All eyes are on the leaders of the Telugu states for they can play a crucial role in determining which national party has the last laugh in the Lok Sabha.
Will Congress bicycle its way to victory with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and its 'Mahagathbandhan' initiative? Will the BJP manage to drive the ambassador with the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) or will YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) turn out to be the fair-weather friend for the BJP in the Lok Sabha?
As the final phase was witnessed on Sunday (May 19), TDP president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu was busy holding meetings with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.
On May 18, Naidu met Congress president Rahul Gandhi in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh's former chief ministers Mayawati and Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow. Clearly, TDP is scrambling to unite the opposition against the BJP. These meetings turn out to be important as sources say that Naidu would remain in Delhi from May 20 until the results.
Naidu's rival Jaganmohan Reddy, the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief, is playing safe by maintaining his relationship with both the national parties. He will perhaps make his move depending on which way the wind blows on May 23.
Sources say that the BJP has been in touch with Jagan for quite a few months now and has even funded YSRCP's election campaign. Sources also say that Congress leader Kamal Nath has kick-started a discussion with Jagan from May onward.
TRS president and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) has been spearheading his federal front movement, which hasn't progressed with much success.
Also read Why PM Modi thanked Telangana CM KCR ahead of state polls
Recently, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin in Tamil Nadu hesitated to meet KCR, kept him waiting for long before agreeing to meet him. Sources say that KCR could consider turning to the BJP with TRS's dream front being a damp squib.
KCR's main rival is Naidu and to thwart the latter's attempt in building the 'Mahagathbandhan', the TRS leader could give NDA the much-needed support.
Former Congress MP Lagadapati Rajagopal, who quit politics as a mark of protest against the formation of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh has given his predictions on the election results in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
According to his political forecast, people would like to travel by car (party symbol of TRS) in Telangana and by bicycle (party symbol of TDP) in Andhra Pradesh.
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