Congress, TDP coming together in Telangana?

Hyderabad:  Amid speculations that the Congress and TDP are keen to have friendly contest in Telangana,  Congress leader A Revanth Reddy is likely to play a key role in stitching alliance between the two parties before 2019 elections.  The former TDP leader Revanth has been entrusted with preparing a report on the winning prospects of the Congress and TDP combine in every Assembly constituency mainly in the segments dominated by Seemandhra voters.  

Following Telangana Congress leaders’ proposal to the formation of  Maha Kutami  (Grand Alliance) involving all anti–TRS parties in 2019 elections, AICC president Rahul Gandhi had reportedly asked Revanth to give a detailed report on the TDP’s segment-wise strength in Telangana. Party sources said Revanth had already briefed the party high command about TDP’s strong  cadre strength in every village and also the party network maintained in all districts  in the recently held meeting with  Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi.  

Even though the Telugu Desam weakened due to mass exodus of party leaders to the TRS and Congress recently,  the yellow party is still maintaining  a strong  political  presence in Telangana.     Other former TDP leaders  N Janardhan Reddy,  Seetakka and Vanteru Pratap Reddy, who joined the Congress recently,  will also be roped in to the task of uniting the TDP and Congress forces before the elections.       

TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy will coordinate with the former TDP leaders in strengthening the ties between the two parties. “The former TDP leader is a close aide of  TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and  also has the ability to influence his erstwhile boss to forge an alliance with the party in the next elections,” a senior leader said, adding that the Congress is more worried about the  winning prospects of the party in the constituencies particularly in GHMC and Khammam and parts of Nizamabad where Seemandhra voters play a key role in winning  the seats.  

In the GHMC elections,  Seemandhra voters voted for the TRS . TDP and Congress drew a blank in the civic body elections.  The party came to a conclusion that the triangular contest had benefited the TRS in the municipal elections.  

Party leaders said that the Congress is of the strong view that combining the Congress and TDP votes will dent the winning prospects of the TRS in many Assembly segments  in Greater Hyderabad. The Congress–TDP combine will help register a cakewalk for the combine in 40 segments in the state.  

Echoing the Congress view, a senior TDP  leader said the two  party leaders  are already maintaining cordial relations and also exchanging views on political issues regularly.  “By this September end,  Revanth will give a detailed report to the Congress  high command,”  sources said, adding that based on the report AICC will take decision on forging alliance with the Telugu Desam in Telangana,” he added.