TRS chief, Nitish Kumar attend NDA rally in Punjab

TRS, which fought the elections in alliance with the Left parties and TDP in Andhra Pradesh, today appeared on NDA platform in a major boost to the BJP-led front ahead of the final phase of the polls. Shiromani Akali Dal chief and Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal, BJP leaders L K Advani and Rajnath Singh, JD (U)'s Sharad Yadav and Nitish Kumar, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and RLD chief Ajit Singh also attended the rally.

TRS, which fought the elections in alliance with the Left parties and TDP in Andhra Pradesh, on Sunday appeared on NDA platform in a major boost to the BJP-led front ahead of the final phase of the polls.

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Besides TRS chief K Chandrashekhar Rao, those who attended a rally convened by Shiromani Akali Dal chief and Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here, were BJP leaders L K Advani and Rajnath Singh, JD (U)'s Sharad Yadav and Nitish Kumar, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and RLD chief Ajit Singh.

Presence of Nitish Kumar at the rally came amid overtures to him by the Congress and the Left for a post-poll tie up.

Kumar told reporters in Patna before his departure for here that he is not in touch with any non-NDA constituent, nor has any such party or leader contacted him.

"I have clarified on several occasions that neither I am in touch with anybody nor any party or leader (from outside NDA) has contacted me. How many times will I clarify. I am saying this clearly that there is no possibility of me being in touch with anybody at all," Kumar said.

TRS, a constituent of the Third Front, had yesterday made clear its intention of moving towards NDA, saying its will attend the Ludhiana rally.

Senior TRS leader Vinod Kumar had dropped enough hints about his party joining the NDA, saying TRS would ally with any party or formulation that supports the cause of separate Telangana state.

BJP has promised to carve out separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh if it comes to power.