Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao was very much interested in having an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party and make his party a partner in the NDA. But, he dropped the idea following an advice from his party MPs.

This was revealed by TRS MP from Mahbubnagar A P Jithender Reddy. He said KCR’s plan was to bring more benefits from the Centre to develop Telangana by joining the NDA.

He even thought that the TRS should have a representation in the Central cabinet, so as to secure more funds to the state.

However, the TRS MPs advised KCR against taking such a decision.

“I told the chief minister that the TRS would have more respect and can demand more from the Centre only if it remains outside the NDA, while maintaining friendly relationship with the Centre. Politically also, it would be strategically helpful to the TRS if it was out of the NDA,” he said.

His argument is that for a new state like Telangana to make its voice heard, remaining outside the government would be strategic. The BJP on its own has 280 members and with allies the total strength of the NDA is 330 in 543-member Lok Sabha.

“The voice of allies in NDA is going unheard and being in opposition would at least give them an opportunity to speak,” he said.

Reddy pointed out that the TDP and Shiv Sena had never got any opportunity to fight for their rights in Parliament because they were part of the NDA. Moreover, the TRS might lose the support of Muslims if it had an alliance with the saffron party.

“However, we can always keep the Centre in good humour by supporting its good decisions like demonetisation and get more benefits,” he asserted.