Exclusive: Prakash Raj to play a key role in TRS' proposed anti-BJP front

Raj had attended the meeting KCR recently had with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai. His presence in it, sources said, was a signal that he would play a key role in KCR's entry into national politics.

Telangana: Telangana Chief Minister and TRS president, K Chandrashekar Rao is likely to assign a key role to actor-turned-politician Prakash Raj in the former's attempts to cobble up a national alliance against the BJP at the Centre. Interestingly, Raj had attended the meeting KCR recently had with Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray and NCP chief Sharad Pawar in Mumbai.

Raj, who had unsuccessfully contested as an independent from Bengaluru central Lok Sabha seat in the 2019 General elections and lost to PC Mohan of the BJP, is a known voice against the BJP. Sources privy to the latest developments in Telangana politics said that KCR is setting up a "new team" to play an active role in national politics.

“It seems that a committee is being formed with MPs, MLAs, and other leaders who are in charge of political and other issues. He (KCR) signaled this during a visit to Mumbai on Sunday. There is a discussion in Telangana political circles that actor Prakash Raj, who made a sudden entry in the meeting, will be given a key position,” a source said.

Prakash Raj's presence in the meeting, the source said, was a signal that he would play a key role in KCR's entry into national politics. "It is learnt that there are plans to nominate Prakash Raj to the Rajya Sabha on behalf of TRS. Raj's imminent elevation as a RS member comes on the heels of Rajya Sabha member Bandi Prakash resigning from his post to become an MLC leaving the seat vacant," the source said.

The tenure of TRS members Lakshmi Kantarao and D Srinivas will end in June. Rumours are rife about allocating one seat of these vacancies to Prakash Raj and handing over to him key responsibilities in national politics. “KCR wants to use Prakash Raj's services as he already has an understanding of the anti-BJP as well as national politics and is fluent in English, Hindi, Telugu as well as southern languages,” the source added.