TDP to announce alliance with TRS in AP today

Andhra PradeshHyderabad, Oct 9: Telugu Desam Party (TDP) will today announce a pro-Telangana stand to pave way for an alliance with Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in the next year''s elections, reversing its traditional position opposing bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

On Tuesday, at a meeting of the Politburo, chaired by party chief N. Chandrababu Naidu in Hyderabad, the issue was discussed and a decision was taken to make the announcement on October 9, coinciding with "Vijaya Dashami" festival, according to reports.

The report submitted by a five-member core committee on Telangana which had gathered the views of partymen on statehood issue was taken note of at the meeting.

The report suggested that a majority of the TDP leaders have a pro-Telangana stand in view of the overwhelming statehood sentiment in the region.

Recently the core committee had submitted its report to Naidu, after an elaborate opinion-gathering exercise involving party leaders at various levels.

The support for Telangana cause will mark a major policy deviation for TDP which has been opposed to division of the state ever since its formation in 1982 on the plank of "Telugu Pride". (ANI)