TDP may contest over 205 Assembly, 27 LS seats

VV Balakrishna
First Published : 02 Feb 2009 04:20:00 AM IST


HYDERABAD: Though the four partners of the newly-formed Grand Alliance (GA) have not yet arrived at the exact number of seats each party should contest in the next elections, the Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is likely to contest around 205 to 215 seats, leaving the rest to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), the CPM and the CPI. According to a broad un derstanding reached among all the four parties in the GA before announcing its formation, the Left parties will contest 20 Assembly seats each.

Of the 294 Assembly seats in the State, the two Left parties — the CPM and the CPI — will contest ten seats each in Telangana and ten each in Andhra. Of the 119 Assembly seats in the Telangana re-gion, around 2 0 seat s would be left to the Left parties.

In the remaining 99, one or two Assembly seats would be given to the MBT in the Old City area of Hyderabad.

The remaining seats would be shared between the TRS and the TDP. It means, the TRS and the TDP would get around 49 Assembly seats each in the Telangana region. According to TDP sources, ultimately the TDP would get one or two seats more than the TRS.

In the 175 Assembly seats in Andhra and Rayalaseema areas, the TDP would contest around 155 to 160 seats. As far as Lok Sabha seats are concerned, the TDP may field its candidates in 30 seats. Of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the State, 17 seats are in Telangana and 25 seats are in Andhra and Rayalaseema regions. The TRS is demanding ten seats and the Left parties would contest one each in Telangana region.

The Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat would be given to Urdu daily ‘Siasat’ editor Zahid Ali Khan, who will contest as an independent candidate. The Left parties would also seek one Lok Sabha seat each in Andhra. The main Opposition party would have to be content with 27 Lok Sabha seats.

“Till now, there is only a broad understanding on seat-sharing. At the discussion table, the numbers may change slightly,” said a TDP leader. Though the partners of the GA will arrive at a final figure soon, they are unlikely to announce the names of the segments immediately to avoid ugly scenes within the parties.

“Once we announce which party would contest which seat, there will be trouble. Those leaders who are sure that they would not get tickets may switch their loyalties to either the PRP or the Congress,” a leader said.

So, the partners of the GA will maintain secrecy till the election notification is issued. The TDP may witness big trouble in Telangana region over seat-sharing with the TRS.

vvbalakrishna@epmltd.com