TRS leader says party may back NDA in presidential election

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Thursday rallied around the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), stating that the regional party could support the Coalition's candidate if it helped Telangana.

"We have been with NDA whenever it benefited Telangana.

We are not with NDA if it is against Telangana," the TRS leader in the Lok Sabha, A P Jitender Reddy, said here.

With Opposition parties trying to put up a common nominee for the poll, Reddy's comments would boost the NDA's chances of installing its candidate in Rashtrapati Bhavan. Reddy said the TRS would take a final decision on the matter at an appropriate time after assessing whether the NDA needed its support.

The presidential election has to be held before July 24 when President Pranab Mukherjee's term ends.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been holding consultations with a number of Opposition leaders in a bid to field a joint candidate for the top post.

TRS, which has 15 MPs, is also being supported by two Lok Sabha members -- Malla Reddy of the TDP and P Srinivasa Reddy of the YSR Congress.

The electoral college clearly favours the NDA choice for the top constitutional post, more so after the BJP s resounding win in the Uttar Pradesh polls. Though the BJP-led ruling coalition at the Centre is still short of a clear majority, its leaders are confident of getting the required support.