Hyderabad: Having won 88 of the 119 seats in Telangana Assembly elections last year, the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is sitting pretty and is ready to for the next battle — Lok Sabha polls. However, before that, one of the key issues plaguing the TRS as well as its rival in the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, TDP, is the data theft.

The Andhra Pradesh government has been accused of stealing data of about 35 million voters. And the TDP has accused the TRS of stealing its data sitting in Hyderabad.

Speaking exclusively to MyNation, KT Rama Rao, the son of Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR), said, "The TDP makes random accusations. They are in fact confused. Nara Lokesh, on one hand says there is data theft. His father (Andhra Pradesh chief minister) Chandrababu Naidu says data is secure. Let them both sit together first and arrive at a conclusion. Meanwhile, the special investigation team in our state is looking into the issue."

 

The working president of the TRS, fondly known as KTR, reacted sharply to Lokesh (TDP minister) calling him a 'cyber criminal'.

"Nara Lokesh is a junior. I will not take things that he says, seriously. He is contesting elections for the first time. And I understand his sentiment during such frustrating times," he said.

KTR is clear about the TRS's decision not to venture into Andhra Pradesh. "We have no intention of doing that. Andhra Pradesh elections will be fought between the TDP, YSRCP and Jana Sena," he said.

The speculation is that KTR would be devoting himself to state politics while his father KCR will be focusing on national politics.

"The idea is to focus on qualitative change in governance from Delhi. Both the UPA and NDA have failed the nation. It's time the regional parties come together by empowering the states and in turn strengthening the country," said KTR, adding that KCR will continue the effort in terms of the 'Federal Front' sitting in Hyderabad.

The question then is whether the mahagathbandhan that sees the active participation of Naidu would pose a major threat to KCR’s 'Federal Front'.

"There is nothing called mahagathbandhan. That is an alliance that has Rahul Gandhi. Let me tell you, both NDA as well as the UPA will not cross the majority mark," said KTR, stressing that his party will be the 'A-team' of Telangana, reacting to the allegations of Rahul claiming that the Telangana government is the 'B-team' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The TRS and its ‘friendly parties’ will win 70 to 100 seats, said KTR. "Parties like BSP, YSRCP, our very own TRS and many more do not like the inclusion of the two national parties — the Congress and BJP. With the two not crossing the majority mark, anything can happen. Let's see once the elections are over," he opined.

The TRS leader recently met Andhra Pradesh's opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. The TRS also ensured that AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi retains the Hyderabad seat for the Lok Sabha election.

Does this mean that the conglomeration of the friendly parties has already begun?

"Well, they are our friendly parties. We are like-minded in a few issues. We need to discuss further. And things will materialise only after polls. So let's wait till then," KTR said.