Telangana polls: TRS rejects BJP's offer for alliance, confident of majority

The TRS response came even as members of the Telangana unit of the BJP contradicted their own chief, stating that they were not looking for an alliance.
Telangana polls: TRS rejects BJP's offer for alliance, confident of majority
Telangana polls: TRS rejects BJP's offer for alliance, confident of majority
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The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Sunday shot down the offer by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state President Dr K Laxman and said that they would not need the help of any party to win a clear majority in the state's Legislative Assembly elections. "No party will get a clear majority and we feel that we will play a key role after the results,” Laxman had said on Saturday.

Asked about whether the BJP would support the TRS, Laxman had said, “We will speak to the high command in New Delhi and consider it. We will extend our support if it is needed. But we will never hold talks with the AIMIM or the Congress-led alliance.”

Responding to the statement, TRS spokesperson Bhanu Prasad told a news outlet, "We are confident that we will win enough seats to retain power in the state."

"We believe in keeping our promises. Will stick by our friends. No chance of allying with the BJP," senior leader Abid Rasool Khan, who recently defected from the Congress, was quoted as saying. 

The TRS response came, even as members of the Telangana unit of the BJP contradicted their own chief, stating that they were not looking for an alliance. 

BJP Chief Spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao in a statement, said, "We have fought the Telangana Elections to win. We have fought to form the government. However, whatever the voters mandate is on December 11, we will respect it and abide by their decision. BJP will not support any party, if there's a hung situation."

Exit polls on Friday predicted that the ruling TRS will retain power in Telangana and the gamble by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to dissolve the Assembly ahead of schedule may have worked in his favour. The Congress has stitched an alliance with the Telugu Desam Party, the Telangana Jana Samithi and the Communist Party of India to take on the TRS.

India Today-Axis My India exit poll predicted that TRS may win 79 to 91 seats in the 119 member Assembly while the Congress-led alliance may get 21 to 33 seats. The AIMIM may end up with 4-7 seats and the BJP 1-3 seats. The Times Now-CNX survey predicted that the TRS may win 66 seats and the Congress-led alliance 37. The survey conducted by Republic-C-Voter claimed that TRS would win 48-60 seats, Congress 47-59, BJP 5 and others 1-13 seats.

Telangana voted on Friday and the results would be declared on December 11. 

IANS inputs

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