No question of TRS merging with Congress: Harish Rao

Telangana Rashtra Samithi Deputy Floor Leader in the Assembly Harish Rao on Monday categorically stated that there was no question of his party merging into the Congress on the lines of the Praja Rajyam Party.

Speaking to media persons at the Gun Park, Harish Rao said that a section of the media has been speculating that the TRS will follow the PRP and merge with the Congress. This, he said, is highly condemnable.

Harish Rao was speaking after flagging off a bus Yatra of taken up by Telangana Lecturers Forum from the Martyrs Memorial statue at Gun Park. Telangana Political Joint Action Committee convener Kodandaram was also present on the occasion.

Harish Rao said that while the media may air its views on the subject, there was no truth in such reports. “The TRS will not merge with any party and would continue its efforts towards achieving the separate state,” he stated.

“The TRS will not fall into the trap of Congress and would continue to maintain its own identity,” the MLA stated.

Harish Rao further demanded that the Centre make its stand on the Telangana state issue clear and threatened to stall the proceedings in the budget session of the Assembly if any concrete assurance does not come forth from the Congress government on the demand to introduce the T Bill in Parliament.

Harish Rao’s allegations that the Centre was dillydallying on the Telangana issue and testing the patience of Telangana people was echoed by Prof Kodandaram, who called upon political leaders to make united efforts to materialize Telangana state. Prof Kodandaram also asked politicians from Telangana to rise above party affiliations and work towards a common goal, which in this case was Telangana statehood.

He advised the elected representatives to boycott the Budget session in order to mount pressure on the Centre to introduce Telangana Bill.

The bus yatra will cover all the ten districts in the region and create awareness on the need for introduction of Telangana Bill among people.  

The members of Telangana Lecturers Forum took up this bus yatra after paying tributes to Martyrs, who died for the cause of Telangana.