TJS for Prof Kodandaram Vs KCR

​Hyderabad: Will the forthcoming Telangana election battle be between KCR-led TRS and Prof Kodandaram-led Maha Kutami (Grand Alliance)? Will the two torchbearers of Telangana statehood agitation be involved in a face-to-face fight to determine who will govern the state for the next five years?

According to sources, a serious debate is going on in opposition parties on who should be the “face of Maha Kutami" to take on the might of KCR. The Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) has put forward this proposal in its talks on forming the grand alliance with the Congress, TDP and CPI.

The argument of the TRS camp is that KCR will be at advantage if the Opposition camp is headed by leader other than the retired professor. Because of his connect with different sections during the statehood agitation and later as head of Telangana government, K Chandrashekar Rao enjoys wider popularity among the masses. One may agree or differ with the functioning of the TRS government during the last four years, but there is no denying the fact that KCR is on higher pedestal compared to contemporary Opposition leaders in Telangana.

The Opposition camp knows this very well and wants to project a popular person with clean image. Kodandaram, by virtue of being in the forefront of the statehood movement along with KCR, is a household name in Telangana. He has toured length and breadth of Telangana during the agitation and has good connect with people from different walks of life.

It is in this backdrop, the TJS think-tank predicts election fight would go down to the wire if Kodandaram is pitted against KCR. Any other Opposition leader, however popular he may be within a particular party, would not be able to match the stature of KCR, is the argument put forward by them.

The TJS leadership has strongly pitched for this condition in talks with the three Opposition parties. While the TDP and CPI is game for it, the Congress camp is non-committal on this issue. Being the dominant partner in the alliance, the Congress camp understandably wants its main leader or leaders to be at the forefront of the alliance. However, the TJS stated in no uncertain terms that it would be advantage KCR even before start of elections if any Congress leader was at the helm of affairs.

To make things clear, the TJS clarified that it was not interested on CM or minister posts or specific number of seats to contest. This is just an electoral arrangement and decision on who should be the Chief Minister if alliance gets the majority or who all should get ministerial berths can be discussed later. Face of the Maha Kutami arrangement is not in any way a future demand for CM post, the TJS top brass also explained.

Elaborating details, a TJS senior leader, who did not wish to be named, stated that there are more than a dozen aspirants for the top post in the national party and it is not easy to get a consensus. He said the TJS is ready to give up some seats, it would be offered in alliance, if Kodandaram is made the "Face of the Maha Kutami". The TJS expressed its willingness to convince the Congress High Command about this electoral arrangement and advantages if required.