Politics
In the 2004 assembly elections, the TRS formed an alliance with Congress (I) and won 26 state assembly seats. The party also won 5 parliament seats at the national level. It joined the governments at both state and central level. In September 2006 the party withdrew support for the central government on the grounds of indecision by the government over the delivery of its electoral promise to create Telangana. On Sept 4th 2011, Wikileaks revealed some sensational cables related to the then resignation of the TRS members for the formation of a separate state. The actual grounds on which they have resigned is due to life-threat to the TRS party members from the Maoists of the Telangana region. The question that arises is that, how can a party with an adhering alliance with the Indian National Congress contest in elections and then break the bonding within a short span of 6 months? Despite being offered several Minister posts to the TRS party members.
The party repeatedly assured the people of Telangana that the formation of the new state was on the cards and could happen 'any moment.' When the Central government failed to deliver Telangana, the party withdrew support from the government. On 13 September 2006, Rao triggered a by-election in his Lok Sabha constituency of Karimnagar, claiming provocation from one of the Congress MLA. He won the subsequent by-election with a strong majority.
All TRS MLAs and MPs resigned their positions in April 2008 when the Central government did not meet their demand for a separate state in its latest budget session for the 5 year term. The by-election was held on May 29, 2008. In the by-elections, 2008, TRS won 7 out of the 16 assembly segments and 2 out of the 4 loksabha segments, a significant defeat for the party. TRS Chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao offered to resign after he lost a number of seats in by-elections but was convinced to remain in office.
Read more about this topic: Telangana Rashtra Samithi
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