K Chandrasekhar Rao keeps Congress-TRS merger option open

HYDERABAD: Unmindful of Union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's remark that the UPA government would require more time to take a decision on Telangana, TRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao is said to have set in motion the proposal of the merger of his party with the Congress. KCR, who landed in Delhi last week ostensibly to attend Parliament, has stayed back triggering speculations that something is in the air on the T front.

Sources said KCR placed the merger proposal before Congress president Sonia Gandhi's point man Vayalar Ravi on Monday. As per KCR's proposal, no sooner does the Centre announce a favourable decision on Telangana than he will immediately merge his party with the Congress.

Vayalar Ravi has taken the proposal to the top leaders including Sonia, and a decision will be taken soon, the sources said.

According to friends of the TRS in Congress, the very purpose of KCR's visit was to make the merger moves should the Congress announce the decision on Telangana soon after the conclusion of the monsoon session of Parliament.

Before leaving for Delhi, the sources said, KCR discussed the issue of merger with some of his close aides. They in turn kept the Congress leaders in the state informed about the purpose of the visit, the sources added.

KCR is expected to meet some more leaders in the next couple of days. But, a meeting with Sonia is unlikely as she is reported to have been advised rest for a few more days.

A senior Telangana MP told TOI that the Congress-TRS merger is inevitable. "It is only a matter of time. Like the PRP, TRS has no option but to merge with the Congress," he said. He said even if the T decision was delayed, it would not be beyond a month or two. Some leaders in the Congress attributed the delay in the T decision to the finalisation of the merger formalities.

Meanwhile, T Cong leaders did not attach much importance to what the Union home minister remarked on the Telangana process. Panchayat Raj minister K Jana Reddy told TOI that the T ministers were seeking a personal audience with Sonia through a letter.

Rajya Sabha MP Palvai Goverdhan Reddy said the decision on Telangana has already been taken. "A decision has been taken in principle in favor of Telangana. The Shinde statement is the creation of the Seemandhra leaders" Palvai alleged.