There have been several contentious issues between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana which need to be sorted out on priority basis, but for their respective chief ministers N Chandrababu Naidu and K Chandrasekhar Rao, the increase in number of seats seems to be the priority issue.
Though both the chief ministers have been saying in public that they are not unduly worried about the Centre not considering the issue of increase in the number of assembly seats, they are indeed very worried as they have to accommodate a large number of aspirants.
So, when KCR and Naidu met at Raj Bhavan during “At Home” get-together hosted by Governor E S L Narasimhan, they discussed the issue very seriously, said sources close to Raj Bhavan.
KCR, who is positioned better among the two, reportedly asked Naidu to use his good offices with the Centre to increase the number of assembly seats.
“Actually, it does not make much difference for the TRS even if the number of assembly seats are not increased, because it will come to power again due to weak opposition. So, the onus is on Naidu to get the number of assembly seats increased because he has been facing tough contest from the YSR Congress party,” sources said.
The TRS president told Naidu that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not interested much in increasing the assembly seats when he met the latter last month. However, he might listen to Naidu, since the latter is part of the NDA government. So, KCR virtually threw the ball into the court of Naidu!
The AP chief minister, however, suggested that KCR also join hands with him in putting forth the demand before Modi.
“The Prime Minister might take it up, if both of us make a joint representation and lobbying,” Naidu told KCR.
Let us wait and see for their next moves!
