Since a bypoll to Jubilee Hills constituency is imminent due to the demise of MLA Maganti Gopinath last month, all political parties in Telangana are gearing up for a high stakes political slugfest to prove their relevance. The ruling Congress and the Opposition BRS, are taking this as a prestigious poll and looking to pull strings in order wrest control over the vacant seat. Meanwhile, the BJP is also trying it best to upset both these parties.
Even before the announcement of bypoll date, the Congress and the BRS started firing their salvos on one another to gain advantage. While the speculation over the potential candidates who contest in the bypoll continues among political circles, Congress party made startling allegations against BRS working president and former IT Minister KTR.
Yesterday, TPCC Media Committee Chairman Sama Rama Mohan Reddy alleged that KTR secretly met Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh and sought the support of Telugu Desam Party in Jubilee Hills by-election. He challenged KTR to open up about the real intention behind meeting Nara Lokesh two times and also demanded him to explain on who will benefit from this secret discussion.
Sama demanded KTR to immediately respond on his allegations and stated that he would reveal remaining details from this secret meeting after the BRS leader responds on the issue.
While there is no immediate reaction from both the BRS and the Telugu Desam Party over these shocking remarks, political circles believe that the chances of such secret meeting between KTR and Lokesh are very slender due to several reasons. BRS turned out to be an arch rival for TDP in Telangana after bifurcation of Telangana with Andhra Pradesh. Moreover, TDP went into direct alliance with the Congress party in 2018 elections and also indirectly worked to oust BRS from power in 2023 elections.
Also, the unwarranted and harsh comments made by KTR after Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest in 2023 and the way BRS party tried its best to support YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in 2019 and 2024 elections didn’t go well within the TDP ranks in both Telugu states. Moreover, the fact that the BJP which is a part of NDA coalition in AP will field its candidate in the bypoll and will seek the support of both the TDP and Janasena also rules out any such clandestine maneuvering between the two parties.
On the whole, it appears like the comments made by Sama Rama Mohan Reddy are baseless with nary a chance for such development between the two warring political leaders.
