Hyderabad: At last better sense appears prevailed upon the Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao.  Whoever might have advised or his own decision to retrack, he made it clear on Sunday that he prefers to stay back in Telangana and play crucial role at the Centre.

"I will continue to be at the helm of affairs at the state and at the same time, will strive for my idea of bringing a qualitative change in the national politics by forming a non-Congress—non-BJP Front," he apparently told his party colleagues.

KCR, who addressed the TRS Legislature Party meeting on Sunday, threw light on his role in future politics, his assessment of party’s performance and also gave an earful to a couple of party MLAs for their reported rude behaviour.

It is learnt that the Chief Minister told his party MLAs and MLCs that though he wanted to test waters in the national politics through the Third Front route, he would not leave the state for that.

“I will play active role in Telangana even after the 2019 elections,’’ he reportedly said, indicating that there might not be a change of guard in the party even if it comes to power. Sources said that KCR tried to put an end to the speculations that his foray into the national arena will see the rise of his son and IT minister KT Rama Rao as his political heir.

At the same time, the CM also exuded confidence that the Pink party would come back to power again in 2019 elections.

“Not one but I have constituted three surveys on the poll results and our party will sail through comfortably to regain power,’’ KCR reportedly said, and added that the party will win 106 out of the 119 Assembly seats.

Amid talks of some of his party sitting MLAs and even ministers likely to switch over to either the Opposition Congress, BJP or the party proposed to be launched by TJAC chairman Prof M Kodandaram, KCR tried to repose confidence among the sitting MLAs that he would give tickets to all the sitting MLAs.

“All of you will be given tickets in the 2019 elections and I will ensure that you win the elections too,’’ he said. Sources, however, said Rao might take hard decisions in giving tickets to the sitting MLAs at the time of elections as some of the surveys and even the state intelligence reports suggested that reports of some of the MLAs reflect poorly on them and they might not get people’s mandate for a second term.