Grand alliance CMP in 3 days, to focus on people's wishes

Hyderabad: Leaders of the grand alliance led by the Congress expressed the confidence that they would come to power, and decided to announce their common minimum programme (CMP) next week.

TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy, Telangana Jana Samithi head Prof. M. Kodandaram, TS Telugu Desam head L. Ramana and CPI Telangana state secretary Chada Venkata Reddy met here on Saturday and discussed the CMP.

Speaking to mediapersons later, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the grand alliance agenda would reflect the aspirations of the people. He said the alliance would form government after the elections, defeat of caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was certain.

He said the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere. The leaders did not finalise the list of candidates.

Prof. Kodandaram said the common minimum programme would be placed before the people on October 2, Gandhi Jayanti. He said that it would be drawn according to the wishes of the people of Telangana state.

Prof. Kodandaram denied that he had meet with BJP leader and former Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya to hold alliance talks, as had been alleged. The TJS chairman said that he had met BJP leaders before the dissolution of the Assembly on September 6. He said that the grand alliance would get a name soon. It is being called ‘mahakutami’ based on the grouping in the previous elections.

Mr Ramana said that the grand alliance will ensure that Mr Chandrasekhar Rao would be confined to his farmhouse. He alleged that Mr Chandrasekhar Rao was trying to ensure that there would be no opposition in the state. The fruits  of separate Telangana state were confined to the family of Mr Chandrasekhar Rao, he said.

CPI leader Chada Venkata Reddy said under the TRS government, people belonging to the SC, ST and BC communities were facing problems in the state. He said that the grand alliance allies were like-minded parties. He said they had not discussed seat adjustments in Saturday’s meeting.