With Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao setting his eyes on national politics ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha Election, the TRS is gearing up to construct a party office in New Delhi. In a press note, the TRS said that its MPs were scheduled to look for a suitable plot of land in the national capital, where the construction could be taken up.
The TRS said that the MPs would examines several sites and make a final list. KCR, known to be deeply superstitious, has ensured that his 'vaastu' expert Sudhakar Teja, will also accompany the Parliamentarians. The Chief Minister is presently in New Delhi and is expected to return to Hyderabad on Friday evening. It is unclear as to whether he will accompany the MPs or make another visit to Delhi to finalise the site.
The TRS also said that there were provisions in the law through which it could ask the Centre to allot 1,000 square yards of land for the party's office in New Delhi. The party said that the foundation stone will be laid on the eve of Sankranti festival and the construction will be completed within the next three months.
Observers say that the setting up of an office in New Delhi ahead of the Lok Sabha polls just months away, is a clear indication that the TRS means business.
Speaking to TNM, senior journalist and political analyst Telakapalli Ravi says, "All regional parties have some arrangements to function out of New Delhi. Certainly, the latest move is interesting because it shows their continuous initiative to make their presence felt at a national level. Since he (KCR) is trying to form a front which is not in tune with the BJP or Congress, he is trying to enhance his bargaining power."
However, party members are still keeping things under wraps. "It is too early to say anything. It has not yet taken any shape, but we will reveal further details soon," a TRS MP told TNM.
The TRS, led by KCR, swept the recently-held Assembly Election in Telangana on December. KCR addressed the media on December 11 when the results were announced and said that a consortium of regional parties would emerge as an alternative for both BJP and Congress with a national agenda to fulfil the aspirations of the people of the country.
At the time, KCR expressed his intention to take on national politics, stating, “We have the responsibility to make our presence felt in national politics. The intellect of Telangana must be used for the good of India. We are going to play a very crucial role in national politics. We are going to show and give a new definition to the national political situation. There is confusion at the national political level and this needs to change. Unless it changes, the country will not grow.”
Last week, the Telangana Chief Minister met Odisha Chief Minister Navin Patnaik and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to discuss the formation of the Federal Front as an alternative to both the Congress and the BJP. He also met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. A statement from the Chief Minister's Office in Hyderabad described it as a courtesy call.