Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. (File Photo | PTI)

TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu to meet Telangana party leaders to take a call on elecion tie-up

At this juncture, Naidu was learnt to have maintained that he never acted against the interests of Telangana.

VIJAYAWADA: Hours after Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao dissolved the state Assembly to go for early polls, his AP counterpart and TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu went into a huddle with senior party leaders from both AP and Telangana and discussed the strategy to be adopted to fight elections in the neighbouring State.

TDP leaders who participated in the meet felt that KCR had taken the decision only after consulting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

According to sources, the TDP leaders felt that the whole episode — dissolving the Assembly, subsequent nod by the Governor and the confidence of KCR that elections will be held in November — revealed the fact that the Telangana Rashrata Samithi (TRS) is moving closer to the BJP.

Despite not coming to any conclusion over political alliances in Telangana, it is learnt that a majority of the leaders who participated in the meet favoured an alliance with the Congress in Telangana, going by the prevailing political scenario.

Taking exception over KCR terming the TDP as Andhra party and attacking Naidu immediately after dissolving the House, the TDP leaders felt that KCR was dancing to the tune of Modi. They pointed that KCR did not declare candidates for the constituencies represented by BJP leaders.

At this juncture, Naidu was learnt to have maintained that he never acted against the interests of Telangana. Earlier in the day, MLAs and MLCs were seen engaged in discussion in the lobbies of the House over KCR dissolving the House.Sources said that the TDP chief will hold a meeting with TTDP leaders in Hyderabad in a day or two and will give clarity over poll alliances after eliciting their opinions.

Kondru joins TDP
Former minister and Congress party leader Kondru Murali joined TDP in the presence of Naidu at the latter’s residence on Thursday. Murali had successfully contested against TDP politburo member K Pratibha Bharati in the Rajam constituency of Srikakulam district in 2009. It is learnt that Bharati was initially opposed to Kondru’s entry into the party, but the CM convinced her. She also attended the event. Sources said that energy minister K Kala Venkata Rao was instrumental behind Kondru joining the party.