TDP may discuss on Telangana polls today

An alliance between the Congress and the Telugu Desam for the coming Telangana assembly elections is a possibility. TPCC leaders are going to discuss the matter with TDP’s president and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday.Sources said TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy and Telangana TDP president L Ramana held discussions on this issue on Thursday night. Mr Ramana told Mr Reddy that Chief Minister Naidu will be in Hyderabad on Saturday to discuss the matter with his own party and if he gives them time on Saturday TPCC leaders will meet him to discuss on alliance.

In Telangana, Congress and TD leaders are showing an interest in an alliance, but in AP some TD and Congress leaders are opposed to any such move. However, the AP TD leaders told Mr Naidu that they have no objection to the TD having an alliance with the Congress in Telangana. 

The TPCC has constituted a committee to discuss alliances with other political parties as well. The Congress affairs in-charge R.C. Khuntia, TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, TPCC working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, former opposition leader in the assembly K Jana Reddy and opposition leader in Telangana legislative council Shabbier Ali are in the committee. 

Speaking to the media on Friday, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said that to end the TRS dictatorship his party is ready to have an alliance with the TD. 

He said that all opposition parties should come onto one platform. Along with opposition parties, intellectuals and people's organisations should also support the Congress to end the TRS rule in Telangana. 

In the 2014 Assembly elections, the TD won 15 assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat. In their discussions the Congress and the TD will confine themselves to the sharing of Assembly seats only.The Congress wants to give 15 assembly seats to the TD, a majority of which were won by the TD in the previous election. The TD wants 20 to 25 assembly seats, arguing that it has a strong cadre in 40 assembly constituencies.