Elections to the 12 seats of Telangana State legislative Council slated for December 27 are likely to witness an unprecedented attempt by the disparate Opposition parties to join forces against the unstoppable Telagnana Rashtra Samiti.
After the shock defeat in Warangal lok Sabha by-elections at the hands of TRS, both the Congress and Telugu Desam Party are now exploring the possibility of joining hands either directly or indirectly to remain relevant in the State politics.
The idea of a “Mahagathbandhan” of sorts comprising of Congress, TDP and the left parties came from the Congress MP Gutta Sukhinder Reddy soon after the Warangal by-election and found traction in the TDP.
However, the condition of Sukhinder Reddy that the BJP will not be a part of the Grand Alliance is a dampener for the TDP as the TDP is part of the NDA at the Centre and two parties are also sharing power in Andhra Pradesh.
However, Telangana TDP leaders say that as the alliance with the BJP was not yielding any results, they were not averse to the idea of a different alliance to take on the TRS.
In the legislative Council elections from the local Bodies the combined strength of the two major Opposition parties –Congress and TDP- can pose a serious challenge to the TRS. But in a multi-cornered contest the TRS can sweep the polls.
The 12 members in Ranga Reddy, Karimnagar, Mehbubnagar, Adilabad, Nizambad, Medak, Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda, members of Zilla Parishads, Mandal Parishad, Municipalities, MlAs and MPs will cast their votes.
leaders of Congress and the TDP feel that by joining hands they can win at least some of these seats as TRS was outnumbered compared to their combined strength.
Former Minister and Congress MlA from Mehbubnagar district DK Aruna point out that in her district TDP-Congress alliance will have an upper hand.
However, given the history of bitter enmity between the two parties any such alliance will not be easy. TDP was formed on the plank of anti-Congressism and it will not be easy for TDP president Chandrababu Naidu to enter in to any understanding with the Congress.
According to the sources, Telangana TDP leaders drew Naidu’s attention to Gutta Sukhinder Reddy’s proposal for an alliance but Naidu did not warm up to the idea. However, sources said that Naidu may take a final decision around the date of polling.