TD, TRS in friendly poll contest

BY J.R.PRASAD

Hyderabad, March 29: The Telugu Desam and the Telangana Rashtra Samiti which are at loggerheads over seat-sharing are all set to field candidates from their respective parties for a “friendly contest”.

Warangal East is one seat where both the parties will be pit candidates against each other.
The TRS chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, on Sunday called on the TD chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, at latter’s residence in Hyderabad. The talks lasted for over an hour.
Sources said, “Despite the hour-long meeting both leaders failed to arrive at an amicable agreement over the disputed seats.”
The bone of contention is not only pertaining to seats but also about the candidates fielded by the TRS.
Mr Naidu was believed to have suggested that the TRS should rethink on the candidatures at least in half half of the constituencies allotted to it, as the existing candidates were not winnable. However, Mr Rao rejected the TD chief’s suggestion.
It has been learnt that Mr Rao also refused to listen to the TD chief’s repeated appeals to withdraw the TRS’s candidates in seats where the Left parties were contesting.
These developments may further widen the rift between the Mahakutami partners.