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HYDERABAD: The crisis in Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) scaled new heights on Friday with its president and Union Labour Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and the rebel MLA S. Santosh Reddy expelling each other and the latter announcing that he represents the `real' TRS.

At a meeting convened to discuss the suspension slapped on him by the party two days ago, Mr. Reddy displayed the support of several pro-Telangana activists who had been expelled from the party earlier or deserted it.

They adopted a resolution demanding that the Government hand over possession of the land allotted to the TRS in Banjara Hills to a trust championing the cause of Telangana.

As soon as the meeting began, Mr. Reddy received news that he was expelled from TRS.

Resolution adopted

His followers responded by adopting a resolution expelling Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao from the party. By separate resolutions, the meeting also recommended constitution of an ad-hoc committee headed by Mr. Reddy to steer the party programmes.

Mr. Reddy, however, declined to accept the reins of leadership immediately and said he favoured wider consultations.

He wanted collective leadership rather than centralised command as in the TRS led by Mr. Rao.

There was hectic activity in the rival camps since morning with the Union Minister A. Narendra, and three other MPs and 18 MLAs gathering at the TRS office.

Tributes paid

They invited Mr. Reddy to attend a meeting of the legislature party to discuss his suspension but Mr. Reddy insisted that his suspension be revoked within three hours. He consequently postponed the meeting till the afternoon. When there was no word from the other side, he proceeded in a convoy to play floral tributes at the Telangana Martyrs Memorial near the Assembly before reaching the venue of the meeting.

Till news of his expulsion was broken, Mr. Reddy spoke against splitting the party but he changed his mind later.

Two former MPs, some former MLAs and the Nizamabad Zilla Parishad Chairman G. Sadanandam were among the modest gathering.

Seven TRS MLAs abstained from the meeting convened by Mr. Narendra but they did not participate in the one convened by Mr. Santosh Reddy either.

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