Congress, Telugu Desam tie-up taking form

Hyderabad: The proposed electoral alliance between the Congress and the TD is slowly taking shape, with leaders of the two parties taking up the issue with their respective high commands. TS TD sources said party national president and AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was in favour of the alliance in the state, but was not yet clear about the alliance in AP. Talks on seat adjustments between the parties are expected to begin in August.

If the Congress-TD tie-up materialises, it will be a strange situation because the TD was formed by N.T. Rama Rao in the 1980s in opposition to the Congress and has continued to be an arch rival. The changed political circumstances after bifurcation has forced the two parties to explore some kind of alliance. The emergence of the TRS in Telangana state, which beat both the Congress and TD in 2014, and also the emergence of the YSRC as a strong political force in AP has forced the hands of the two parties.

“Talks on the Congress-TD alliance is going on at the level of state leaders at present. Recently, an advisor to AICC president Rahul Gandhi has taken the talks to the next level by approaching top leaders in the TDP. The alliance will take shape with an agreement on adjustment of seats for the Lok Sabha and Assembly,” a TS TD source said.

TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy is also keen on forging a grand alliance of the Congress, TD, Left parties and Prof. Kodandaram’s newly launched Telangana Jana Samiti, to take on the ruling TRS in the 2019 polls and has sought the approval of the Congress high command.