Soon after the three-week long fiery high-voltage campaign concluded on Monday evening the post-poll match fixing between the TRS and the Congress came into the open as was amply evident from the subtle feelers and comments of both the parties.
Though both the parties campaigned vigorously to establish their political supremacy in the new Telangana Sate, which would come into being officially as the 29th state of the country on June 2, their confidence seemed to have been replaced by apprehensions about forming the government on their own individual strength.
The think tanks in both the TRS and Congress camps seemed to have concluded after the curtains came down on the electioneering that the chances of them individually securing absolute majority to form the government on their own was bleak. Realization seemed to have also dawned on the leadership of both the parties that they would have to support each other in order to form the government in the new state.
Against this background the TRS President K. Chandrashekar Rao seemed to have softened his stance against the Congress. This could be gauged from the comment he had made to some television channels after the conclusion of the campaign yesterday. KCR was not only eager to extend support to the Congress at the centre but also wanted see Rahul Gandhi as the Prime Minister of the country. Though he did not say these things in so many words, he expressed his aversion towards the BJP and the NDA. In fact before the fiery campaign commenced KCR said TRS was against the Congress and the NDA and pledged support to the Third Front.
It is also pertinent to mention here that during the high decibel campaigning, the TRS launched a no holds barred vitriolic attack on the Congress. Many senior leaders of the TRS at every election meeting adopted a venomous attack on the Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, who had accused KCR of back-stabbing for going back on the promise of merger of TRS with the Congress.
While senior TRS leaders attacked the Congress party and its leadership with verbal gunfire, KCR conspicuously did not utter a word against Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi. As a matter of fact he expressed his regard and respect for Sonia Gandhi while interacting with the TV channels yesterday. He also showered praises on Rahul Gandhi despite the fact that the Gandhi scion had tore him to pieces at all the election rallies by calling him a cheat, back stabber etc.
Thus the sudden change of heart of KCR and his softening tone and tenor against the Congress on the eve of the crucial polling scheduled to take place on Wednesday is clear indication that the pink party’s chief was eager and anxious to enlist the support of the Congress in his desperation to occupy the Chief Minster’s chair.
The Congress party too is very well aware that it’s chances of retaining supremacy in Telangana was not very bright. Despite the promises and assurances of the local party leaders and the central leaders of the party exuding confidence about forming government in the new state, Sonia Gandhi has realized that it was like chasing the mirage. She seemed to have made opened her heart about her apprehensions to the members of inner circle.
Thus Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, who played a pivotal role as a member of the Group of Ministers constituted for the formulation of the Telangana Bill, and who had been camping in the region ever since the election campaign commenced, on Monday at a meet the press programme said that the Congress was not averse to join hands with the TRS in the formation of the government. Though he did not openly declare this, he said that the TRS was not in a position to form the government on its own and that Congress was not against extending cooperation if sought.
All these only goes to strengthen the speculation that the TRS and Congress would join hands after the polling in their desperate move to keep the BJP-TDP combine at bay. However at the same time it cannot be ruled out that the BJP-TDP by bagging a chunk of seats might also play spoil sport for the TRS-Congress game plan. And here the MIM’s role would be very crucial. NSS).
