The meeting of Telangana Rashtra Samithi working president K T Rama Rao with YSR Congress party president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy at the latter’s Lotus Pond residence in Hyderabad has triggered intense political debate in the political circles.
It is quite obvious that the TRS is going to work together with the YSR Congress party in Andhra Pradesh elections to defeat Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu in the upcoming Andhra Pradesh elections.
TRS president and Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has already announced that he was going to give a return gift to his AP counterpart, who had joined hands with the Congress party in the Telangana to defeat TRS.
TRS leaders like Talasani Srinivasa Yadav openly announced that the TRS would definitely play its role in the Andhra Pradesh elections.
KCR wants to defeat the TDP in AP assembly elections, so that Naidu will lose his face at the national level and all his attempts to form an anti-BJP front would be crashed.
At the same time, KCR wants to increase his own stakes at the Centre by winning 16 MP seats in Telangana and help YSRC win another 20 MP seats in Andhra, so that both the Telugu states with 35-40 MPs could steer the wheel in the Centre.
But how KCR wants to play a role in Andhra elections is still a mystery.
KCR cannot have an alliance with the YSRCP, as there is no TRS in Andhra Pradesh. He cannot directly campaign for YSRC in Andhra, as if he does it, it will only help Naidu.
According to a section of analysts, KCR might rope in his friendly party MIM to contest in a few Muslim-dominated constituencies and launch a vigorous campaign against Naidu.
MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi already said he would campaign in Andhra against Naidu. If necessary, KCR might also campaign for MIM only to run down Naidu, thereby indirectly helping the YSRC.
Secondly, KCR might extend financial and other kinds of support to YSRC candidates. He has a lot of clout among Andhra industrialists and businessmen who have their base in Hyderabad. He can influence them and make them support Jagan.
Thirdly, having been associated with Naidu for nearly two decades and a part of TDP's think-tank for a long time, KCR is well aware of Naidu's political strategies.
He can give suggestions to Jagan from time to time to counter Naidu's poll management strategies.
And lastly, the TRS might indulge in a vigorous campaign in the social media against Naidu and influence the voters in favour of YSRC, say sources.
