Will KCR contest LS polls or not?


As the Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao is getting ready to announce the list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, suspense prevails over whether KCR himself will contest the elections or not.

According to party sources, KCR has kept his cards close to his chest on his decision on contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

A section of party leaders say he would definitely contest the elections and announce his decision to play a major role in the national politics.

“In all probability, he will contest from Medak parliamentary constituency. Otherwise, he will shift to Nalgonda. He will campaign not only in Telangana, but also in states like Uttar Pradesh and Odisha, to propagate the concept of federal front,” a party leader said.

If KCR announces his decision to contest, it will send a clear signal that he is going to anoint his son and TRS working president K T Rama Rao as the next chief minister of Telangana.

But, there is another speculation doing rounds in the party circles. According to it, the TRS president will not contest the Lok Sabha elections at present, but will wait for the outcome of the Lok Sabha elections in May.

If the BJP and Congress fail to get adequate numbers and regional parties make it big in the elections, KCR will make one of his party MPs to resign and then contest the LS polls again, so that he would play a bigger role in the national politics. If necessary, he would pitch himself in as the Prime Ministerial candidate as well.

But, if the BJP returns to power for a second term, or a Congress-led coalition manages to wrest power, KCR will not look at Delhi but will remain as the chief minister for the next five years.

“But if the NDA falls short of majority and seeks the TRS support, then KCR might consider going to Delhi and join the Centre as Union minister. Otherwise, he will make his daughter Kavitha as the Union minister, while he continues as the chief minister,” party sources said.