KCR, KTR discuss TRS probables

Hyderabad: Chief Minister and TRS supremo K Chandrashekar Rao and party working president KT Rama Rao went into a huddle on Friday to finalise the candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat for which the byelection will be held on May 30.

KTR is learnt to have proposed the name of senior TRS leader P Srinivas Reddy from Khammam district. But sources claim that KCR was more in favour of considering the name of a Dalit leader –either Mothkupalli Narsimhulu or Akula Lalitha. Another possibility was to zero in on Tummala Nageswara Rao.

It may be recalled that when Srinivas Reddy joined the TRS, he was promised Rajya Sabha seat but due to different political considerations and equations it could not be done. Hence, KTR had once again proposed his name, according to party sources. However, a final decision would be taken after analysing political implications in Khammam district, where TRS stands divided into three groups. One group is said to be led by state Transport minister P Ajay Kumar and two other factions are led by Tummala Nageshwara Rao and Srinivas Reddy. KTR has recently planned to visit Khammam and hold a meeting with all the three groups in a bid to strengthen the party ahead of the Assembly elections in 2023 but postponed the visit to avoid the differences becoming public.

Srinivas Reddy had recently hinted at looking for greener pastures if the party does not keep its word. It may be mentioned here that his brother P Sudhakar Reddy is a BJP leader.