Congress headache: TRS joins TDP-Left alliance for Andhra polls

In a decision that could significantly affect the course of the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh,the Telangana Rashtra Samiti....

In a decision that could significantly affect the course of the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh,the Telangana Rashtra Samiti TRS has decided to join the grand alliance led by the Telugu Desam Party with the Left parties. TRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao said on Saturday that his party has decided to join hands with

the maha kutami grand alliance. We want to defeat the Congress. That is the aim of the grand alliance and we have decided to join it, Rao said.

On January 20,the TDP,the CPI and the CPM had forged this grand alliance. A week ago,popular Telugu actress Vijayasanthi merged her Talli Telangana Party with the TRS.

The TRS had kept the TDP-led alliance guessing after rejecting the seat sharing combination offered by the TDP. Rao had also approached Chiranjeevis Praja Rajyam Party but nothing came of it. On Saturday evening,Rao visited TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu to convey his partys decision to join the alliance. The TDP has 42 MLAs and three MPs while the TRS has nine MLAs and two MPs.

Earlier the TRS had tied up with the Congress to contest the 2004 polls on the condition that if the Congress came to power,it would initiate efforts to carve a new Telangana state. But the Congress deceived us and the people of Telangana, Rao said.

The alliance has made Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy who is seeking a second term,nervous. The party put up a brave front though. APCC President D Srinivas said that though the TDP-led alliance appears to be formidable,it does not pose any threat to the Congress.

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More