Telangana: Why TRS snubbed Congress, flirted with BJP

In the long struggle for statehood for Telangana, some might say that KCR (Kalvakuntla Chandrasekhar Rao, president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi) suffered immense humiliation. Yet, as a true leader he managed to remain dignified throughout the conflict. And now, after the formation of Telangana, he possibly sees hope of realising his political ambitions with a little help from Narendra Modi, though he has not made any such inclination very obvious yet. However, TRS' decision to not form and alliance with the Congress does have a story to tell. 

When he launched his sub-regional political outfit, TRS in 2001, after revolting against his boss N Chandrababu Naidu, KCR possibly never imagined that his agitation would bear fruit and culminate in the formation of Telangana.

Soon enough, to his utter surprise, he found the movement gaining ground with leaders of the Congress lending tacit support, albeit, from behind the scenes. In less than a year, he moved closer to the Congress. But since then, TRS' relationship with the Congress set off on a bumpy road.

K Chandrasekhar Rao. AFP.

Ever since, the TRS's courtship with the Congress always traversed a bumpy road.

For now, as KCR claimed, TRS has metamorphosed from being a 'movement' into a full-fledged political party to safeguard the interests of Telangana. The reasons KCR listed out for a face-off with the Congress are too many and all too well known.

But KCR is angered by the Congress on two counts: 1. The Congress did not take the initiative to bring him to a negotiation table to strike a deal, as it construed the merger of the TRS would be obvious and automatic. 2. The Congress leaders of Telangana cornered him and demanded he merge TRS with their own party.

The breach of an unwritten protocol by the Congress at all levels turned out to be a bitter pill which KCR and his followers refused to swallow, even grudgingly.

Besides, a merger with a national party that has huge presence in the region would shut the door for many things, many leaders and many opportunities for the TRS. If TRS leaders have to forgo their seats and make compromises under Congress pressure, some of them might leave the party and join other political hawks waiting to swoop down on Telangana.

By creating a committee under TRS general secretary K Keshav Rao and declaring that whichever national party wants to ally with them should approach this committee first, KCR tried to give an impression that he has an upper hand on the BJP and Congress in the region.

But the Congress doesn't seem willing to bend backwards for an alliance with the TRS. Senior Congress leader Shabbir Ali quickly retorted that KCR was in no way responsible for the formation of a separate Telangana. He recalled that KCR had never offered any amendment to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2013 during its debate in the Parliament, even as Majlis-e-Ittehaadul Muslimeen MP Asaduddi Owaisi came up with a few amendments.

Shabbir sought to know as to why KCR didn't raise any of the objections he talked about on Monday night during the Parliament debate.

KCR's sarcastic remark at a news conference: "Who had the people felicitated for achieving Independence to India? Had they feted Gandhi, Nehru and Patel or had they honoured Queen Elizabeth for declaring Independence to India," too angered the Congress leaders.

Though KCR apparently pulled the plug and wanted to go it alone, he raised the bar as he feels his bargaining power soared. Any national party would have to play a second fiddle to him in the region. Or, at least, that is what he thinks. But the wacky ways of the Telangana crusader did not surprise anybody.

KCR's wish to go it alone or lead an alliance as a senior partner crystallized when his son and MLA K T Rama Rao asserted that there could neither be a merger nor an alliance with the Congress in the upcoming elections. Senior party leader and former MP B Vinod Kumar aired a similar view.

Now, KCR plays it safe with the BJP and Narendra Modi. He says people of Telangana need a political party to speak for them at national level in the next 10 formative years, for there were too many conditions that might turn out to be detrimental to the interests of the people of Telangana.

KCR is bold and fearless. He doesn't mind being charged with adopting double standards. Now the ball is in the court of the Congress, which should think why KCR would let the title of 'Telangana Chevalier' slip into someone else's lap.