TRS not to attend Opposition meeting today

Party unwilling to share platform with the Congress

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) has decided not to attend the meeting convened by West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress president Mamata Banerjee to discuss Presidential election in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The decision was taken after hours of consultations by TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao with his senior party leaders till late in the night on Tuesday.

Sources said the decision to abstain from the meeting was based on four reasons. One, the TRS had already made its stand clear to maintain equidistance from the BJP and the Congress. The same was conveyed to Ms. Banerjee when she extended the invitation to Mr. Rao two days ago. Yet, she invited the Congress much to the dissatisfaction of TRS. It was not right on the part of Ms. Banerjee to invited Congress even after the TRS had expressed its objections towards the party, sources said.

Two, the TRS had repeatedly stressed that there was no way it could share a platform with the Congress at any level as the latter party was its main rival. Former AICC president Rahul Gandhi had unleashed a disinformation campaign against the TRS only recently during his visit to the State without speaking a word against the BJP. Therefore, there was no question of discussions with such a party in a cordial atmosphere

Thirdly, the TRS could not trust the Congress because it was apparent right from 2019 Lok Sabha elections to the Assembly byelection in Huzurabad that the latter party had colluded with the BJP. The Congress strove for the victory of BJP by sacrificing its own chances to the extent of forfeiting deposit in polls.

Last, the TRS found fault with the manner in which the meeting at Constitution Club in New Delhi was organised to discuss Opposition unity in Presidential election. Best would have been to discuss the candidature of a leader acceptable to all parties in advance without hurting anyone and then convince such a person later. But, a leader was already selected here and commenced consultations with him. What was the purpose of the meeting in such circumstance?

Hence, it was not possible to attend the meeting. However, a decision on voting in the Presidential election would be taken later by the TRS, sources explained.