The much-trumpeted merger of Congress Legislature Party into the TRS in the state assembly likely to be delayed beyond Lok Sabha poll results on May 23, according to reliable sources.
Reasons given by sources within those defectors that two of their colleagues forced to put it on hold due to some technical reasons. Congress has won 19 of the 117 assembly seats in the December 2018 polls.
Of the 19, 11 have already crossed over to the Congress and another two are set to join the party. To avoid anti-defection law, only if three-fourths of the total decides to merge, it can happen. Though Bhadrachalam MLA Podem Veeraiah has indicated his decision to switch sides yet the total defectors’ number reached only 12. Still falling short of one and hence the delay.
Highly placed sources said the ruling TRS has already in touch with another two Congress MLAs, but they reportedly told bluntly to wait till May 23 results.
TRS President K Chandrasekhara Rao was in a great hurry to complete the merger formalities before the Zilla Parishad and Mandal Parishad polls. He wanted to convene assembly session in June as the government has to place the full budget in the assembly, but depends on the Centre’s schedule.
TRS is also bent upon to deny the Congress the main Opposition status in the state assembly.
The TRS is hoping to win all the 16. If that does take place then the two Congress MLAs who are sitting on the wall may join. If doesn’t and the Congress get 2-4 and the BJP manage two of the 17 Lok Sabha seats, then the ruling TRS chief’s plans may go haywire. Many expect surprises to happen and embarrass the chief minister, who is turning arrogant to finish the Opposition in the state.
Meanwhile, the CLP leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka along with former minister Shabbir Ali met the assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy on Tuesday and demanded for disqualification of the four who have already defected violating the law. The CLP leader, in fact, travelled all the way to Banswada to meet the Speaker, as the situation is grim and slipping out of hands with the rumors of merger gaining currency.
Later speaking to media, Vikramarka blamed the chief minister for indulging in undemocratic methods terrorizing his party MLAs to join the ruling party. He also threatened to travel all over the state by launching a yatra to expose KCR’s evil designs, besides approaching the Lok Pal and other institutions on this issue.