TRS not joining NDA, says party leader A P Jithender Reddy

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Hyderabad: The ruling TRS in Telangana is not interested in joining the NDA, and its support to the BJP-led government at the Centre would continue to be issue- based, says a senior party leader.

A P Jithender Reddy, the TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samiti) floor leader in Lok Sabha, also said his party would not join the group of 16 opposition parties, led by the Congress, which met last week to deliberate on evolving an "alternative narrative" to counter the BJP.

"We are giving issue-based support to BJP. We don't have any plans (to join the 16 opposition parties). Whoever wants to do good for Telangana, we are with them," Reddy told PTI.

The TRS had supported the NDA government on demonetisation and GST, and also backed its presidential and vice-presidential nominees in the recent elections.

However, the BJP and TRS continue to oppose each other in the state.

Reddy said the TRS was not interested in joining the NDA.

"We are building our state. Our support (to BJP-led government) is issue-based. As long as they do good for Telangana, we are with them. If not, we will fight with them. Not at all (we are not interested in joining NDA)," he said.

On BJP's goal to win the 2019 Assembly elections, Reddy said the TRS does not see the lead party of the NDA to be a formidable opponent to the ruling outfit in Telangana.

He said the chief minister is working hard for the people, as he listed the TRS government's flagship and other welfare programmes for their benefit.

"I don't think anybody else has a chance (to come to power) in Telangana," said the Lok Sabha member from Mahbubnagar.

The Telangana BJP unit has spared no efforts to attack the TRS government on various issues.

The BJP has made no secret of its ambition to capture power in Telangana, where Assembly elections are due in 2019.

BJP president Amit Shah visited Telangana in May and is again slated to make a three-day trip to the state next month seeking to re-energise the party to take on the TRS.