Telangana Congress tweaks deal to please GA partners

​Hyderabad: The Telangana Congress has been making a few alternative offers to the alliance partners to break the ice in the talks on seat-adjustments.

Though the party representatives of the alliance partners did not meet in the past few days, parleys among the backroom boys continued to strike an agreement. Party state affairs incharge RC Khuntia is discussing the issue with the leaders of the alliance. 

The Congress is keen to end the deadlock on seat-sharing as the Telangana Jana Samithi has given ultimatum to settle the matter in two days. TJS chief Kodandaram has warned the Congress that if it did not finalise the deal he would look for an alternative.

The main opposition wants to complete the seat-sharing exercise by October 21 so that it could announce its candidates by the end of this month. It needs some time to convince the dissident leaders after the announcement of the tickets and before the commencement of filing nominations from November 12. 

The grand-old party is under pressure from its leaders on giving seats to Telugu Desam, Telangana Jana Samithi and the Communist Party of India. They have been insisting that Congress should contest only 100 seats. 

A senior leader of the party said that the alliance partners, TD, TJS and CPI may not win the seats they have been given and this would help the Telangana Rashtra Samiti. The hesitation of the Congress on conceding the number of seats as sought by the partners has led to the stalemate.

The leader said that as the high command was serious about having the alliance, the PCC has now put focus on alternative proposals to placate TD, TJS and CPI so that the front takes shape. As part of this the Congress would offer few sops to them so that the alliance partners did not insist on seats.

Party’s senior leader said that the Congress may offer MLC seats, corporation chairmen and others to placate the alliance partners after it comes to power. It wants the alliance partners to help it to win the elections in the first place. 

Already the Congress is considering the proposals of giving the post of chairman of Common Minimum Implementation Committee to TJS leader Kodandaram. TJS too is keen on accepting this proposal.  The Congress is urging the CPI to accept MLC seats and to adjust with less number of seats than it has sought. The Telugu Desam may be offered positions in the cabinet.