Giving indications of the TRS cosying up to the BJP, party MP Vijayashanti is expected to join the senior BJP leader L.K. Advani’s Jana Chetna Yatra and BJP sources said that Mr Advani would support the Telangana cause during his tour of the state.
During a TJAC steering committee meeting on Monday night, it was felt that given the state government’s harsh steps to crush the Telangana movement, the Central government’s indifference despite the Sakala Janula Samme and the arrest and incarceration of leaders during the Rail Roko, the Congress could no longer be depended upon.
It was even rumoured that some Telangana Congress leaders and cadres might join the TRS or form their own front or work under the TJAC. However, Congress Rajaiah, and others deny any such move.
Sources said that the Telangana leaders felt that enough was enough after the government’s alleged ill treatment of TRS leaders like Ms Vijayashanti, Mr T. Harish Rao, Mr Etela Rajender, Ms T. Kavita and even the Congress MPs, Mr Ponnam Prabhakar, Mr Rajaiah and others during the Rail Roko programme.
The sudden volte-face by panchayat raj minister K. Jana Reddy, and others who had promised to quit the Congress but who are now, instead asking the TJAC to withdraw the stir, has also brought matters to the fore.
“Mr Jana Reddy promised to quit after Dasara but not only did he back out after meeting the CM but also asked the TJAC to withdraw the stir. It is clear that the government has turned them,” a TRS leader said.
However, Mr Jana Reddy, who attended the Congress Steering Committee meeting at Dr K. Kesava Rao’s residence on Tuesday, denied going back on Telangana and even tried to assuage the feelings of TJAC and TRS.