Presidential election: Ending speculation, TRS decides to support opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha

Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samithi has decided to support united opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha for the presidential election. TRS working president KT Rama Rao will accompany Yashwant Sinha when he files the nomination papers on Monday.

KTR left for Delhi along with party floor leader in Lok Sabha Nama Nageswara Rao, MPs G Ranjith Reddy, KR Suresh Reddy, BB Patil, B Venkatesh Netha, and K Prabhakar Reddy. All these leaders will be present when Sinha files his nomination papers. The reason behind the show of TRS strength is believed to be an attempt to convey to the BJP that there would be no letup in the pink party's anti-BJP stand, even if it means supporting the candidature of Sinha who was once a prominent figure in the BJP.

This brings to end speculation over the side the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) will take in the election, particularly after its president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced the decision to maintain 'equi­distance' from the BJP and Congress.

It may be recalled here that no leader from TRS attended the meeting of Opposition parties convened twice by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for finalizing the Presidential candidate. However, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar called Chief Minister and TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao on June 21 and sought his support for Sinha's candidature.

The election process commenced on June 15 and the last date for filing a nomination is June 29. As per the election notification, the poll will be held on July 18 and the counting will be held on July 21.