Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) leadership is racking its brains on how to deal with the surge of Kadapa MP YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s party in Telangana region.
The TRS in its 11 years of political journey has so far not come across a force as potent as Jagan Mohan Reddy in the region. For the first time, YSR Congress has emerged as an alternative to the TRS which is giving the party the jitters. Though the TRS won the Parkal assembly seat, it was a narrow victory, just a little over 1,500 votes majority and the runner-up was not a Telangana party but the YSR Congress.
The TRS has been spreading its base in Telangana by targeting the UPA for not fulfilling its promise on Telangana. The party has also restricted the growth of the TDP by exposing its ambivalent attitude on statehood issue. In this backdrop, the TRS was able to win the earlier byelections except the Mahbubnagar seat where the BJP won the byelection. The congress and the TDP lost their deposits in the earlier byelections in Telangana. The party has succeeded in isolating the BJP from Telangana movement. Due to the TRS campaign several Telangana organisations have de-linked themselves from the BJP. But now the TRS is facing a serious threat from the YSR Congress in the region. At a time when it was argued that the Telangana sentiment would help the candidate of a pro-bifurcation party like the TRS romp home comfortably, that Konda Surekha managed to give a tough fight and was defeated by only about 1500-odd votes has given some reason for hope for the YSR Congress. This means Jagan’s sway is strong in Telangana as well, the party leaders point out.
Sources say several leaders from Telangana belonging to all parties could veer around Jagan. The YSRC is making plans to strengthen its base in Telangana.