HYDERABAD: Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has remained non-committal with regard to backing the proposed move by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSRC to introduce no-confidence motion against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.The pink party, which decided to form a Third Front at national level against the BJP and the Congress, on Friday dropped mixed signals on the issue of extending its support to the proposed no-trust move seeking Special Category Status for Andhra Pradesh.
TRS floor leader in the Lok Sabha, AP Jithender Reddy, while addressing the media in Delhi, said that though they were sympathetic towards AP’s demand, the main target of TRS was making the Centre accept the two key demands of Telangana. Firstly, empowering states to enhance the total quota of reservations as per local demographic needs, and secondly, convergence of the NREGA with agriculture.
“The TRS has been demanding an increase in quota of reservations in Telangana, like the way it was done in Tamil Nadu. The Centre has already allowed Tamil Nadu to enhance its total quota of reservations crossing the limit of 50 per cent, by amending the Constitution. Why is the same rule not applicable to Telangana? Our demand is simple. We should have uniform rule for fixing quota of reservations in all the States across the country. Till our demand is met, we will continue to disrupt the proceedings of the Lok Sabha,” Jithender Reddy said.
When asked about the no-trust move being planned by the TDP MPs, the TRS member replied, “We are not bothered about their issue. Our focus is on achieving our demands.”TRS secretary general and Rajya Sabha member K Keshava Rao told Express that his party supports the demand for special category status for AP. “But, it is quite possible that we may not support the no-confidence motion against Modi government. In fact, it’s premature to comment on no-confidence motion,” he said. He also made it clear that the TRS members were more concerned about the requirements and unfulfilled promises with regard to the Telangana.
Another TRS MP, ruled out his party’s support for the no-confidence move. “It is just a political gimmick by the TDP,” he said. Interestingly, back in Hyderabad, TRS MLC Karne Prabhakar, while addressing the media, said if at all the no-trust motion proposed by TDP and YSRC MPs comes for voting, the pink party members would vote against the Central government.Earlier in the day, TRS MPs, wearing pink stoles and holding up placards, staged protests in the Lok Sabha for the tenth consecutive day demanding that the Centre allows the State to enhance total quota of reservations. While TDP members were staging protests seeking Special Status, members belonging to other parties too disrupted proceedings by raising various issues, including the Punjab National Bank scam and Kaveri water dispute.
TRS working at the behest of Modi : Cong
The Congress, which has been alleging that the Third Front proposed by CM K Chandrasekhar Rao was aimed at weakening the Grand Old Party at the behest of PM Narendra Modi, said that its argument was proved right following the vociferous protests by TRS MPs in Lok Sabha, when YSRC and TDP members were trying to question the Union government over non-implementation of bifurcation promises. “Had the TRS MPs remained calm, the Speaker would have allowed a debate on non-fulfillment of bifurcation promises made to AP and TS. But, the TRS MPs, in order to bail the Centre out of the problematic situation, staged the protests,” T Jeevan Reddy and A Revanth Reddy said.