Speculation over Congress legislature party merging with TRS in Telangana

HYDERABAD: With 11 Congress MLAs having announced their decision to join the TRS in Telangana, speculation is rife that they could seek merger of the Congress legislature party with the ruling party.nnCongress Legislature Party (CLP) leader M Bhatti Vikramarka, who is the Leader of Opposition, has met Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivasa Reddy and urged him to issue a notice to the Congress before taking any action on the merger issue, party sources said.nnThe Congress had won 19 seats in the 119-member house in the Assembly polls held in December last, but 11 of them MLAs have since announced their decision to join the TRS. The MLAs would not attract the provisions of anti-defection law only if their number is two-third of the total number.nnIt is being speculated in the event of two more Congress MLAs deserting the party, the rebel group would seek a formal merger of Congress Legislature Party with the TRS.nnHowever, Vikramarka firmly rejected the suggestion. “How can Congress be merged with TRS which is a regional party,” he said in a statementnnThe latest to announce the switch over is Bhupalpally MLA Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy, who met TRS working president K T Rama Rao, son of party president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, two days ago.nnTRS sources said on Wednesday, “We cannot say (if two more Congress MLAs would switch over to TRS)… Otherwise, they will remain like that (without merger)… We (TRS) are not making any efforts for it.”nnThe Congress has been crying foul over the defection of its MLAs. The party had earlier complained to the Governor.nnIt had also announced that it would complain to the newly-formed Lokpal about TRS allegedly encouraging defections.nnVikramarka also sought the disqualification of MLAs Chirumarthy Lingaiah, Haripriya Naik, J Surender and Kandala Upender Reddy, who are among the Congress MLAs to switch sides, the sources said.nnThe Telugu Desam Party (TDP) had won two seats in the December polls and one of the MLAs had also announced that he would join the TRS.nnHitting out at the TRS, TDP politburo member Ravula Chandrasekhar Reddy alleged that the ruling party is focused on promoting defections, though Telangana farmers suffered crop damage due to unseasonal rains and Intermediate (XI and XII) students in the state faced trouble due to alleged goof-up in declaring results.nn”Though TRS had won 88 seats (out of total 119) in Assembly elections, their thirst (for more MLAs) has not yet been quenched…Should democracy not survive in Telangana?” he asked.nnSource: Press Trust of India