Congress in a bind over Telangana Jana Samithi

​Hyderabad: The Congress seems to be in a dilemma over the stance to be adopted towards the Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS), the new political outfit being floated by Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC) chairman M Kodandaram.  Though Kodandaram has supported the Congress on various issues in the past, the main Opposition in the State is sceptic about his party’s effect on it. While some leaders of the party say that the TJS would weaken the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), some other leaders opine that it would help the ruling party. 

A senior Congress leader said the TJS had been floated on the directions of TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao to divide the anti-establishment vote in the State. He said the TJS would damage the interests of the Congress. 

On the other hand, a few leaders said the TJS would expose the government on its failures and would deprive the TRS the benefit of Telangana sentiment. Since Kodandaram is considered as a key leader of Telangana movement, protagonists of Telangana would rally behind him and this would weaken the TRS.  With the conflicting views on the effect of TJS among senior leaders, the Congress would wait and watch the activities of the TJS and would assess its impact on the political scenario of the State.  

A Congress leader said that since the TJS would field its candidates in the upcoming local body elections, the popularity of Kodandaram and the TJS would come to be known.  Before the announcement of the TJS, the Congress wanted to form a broad front against the government by taking all anti-TRS forces onboard and Kodandaram was considered as a key leader in it. However, the party is now in two minds about that idea. 

Congress leaders said several TRS leaders might join the TJS and after winning the polls, they would again go back to the pink party. So, it would be better to watch who would join the TJS. 

The Congress leaders are also of the view that it would be better to wait for the announcement of the policies of the TJS. As the TJS leadership would begin consolidation of the party, its popularity could be assessed, they felt. 

They said unless the TJS took shape, it would not be possible to decide whether to have alliance and friendly relations with the TJS or to consider it as a political opponent. It takes at least two to three months to know the real nature of that party.