Congress, TJS keep cards close to chest

​Hyderabad: Even as the stalemate continued on Monday over the seat sharing between the Congress and Telangana Jana Samithi, Prof Kondandaram seems to be happy over the number of seats which the Congress intends to offer. 

Telangana PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy said that talks with Kodandaram were fruitful, but Prof Kondadaram did not speak to media after coming out of the meeting held at a city hotel. Later, TJS in a press statement said that party would hold an internal meeting on Tuesday and give its response.

After instructions from Congress high command, TPCC leadership shifted its focus on finalising the seat-sharing issue with its alliance partners. In continuation of meeting with TJS chief Prof Kodandaram held on Saturday, Uttam, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and others held another round of discussions with Kodandaram on Monday evening. 

Although it was reported that all parties in talks for Mahakutami would attend, there was no participation from T-TDP and CPI. T-TDP president L Ramana gave clarification that he did not attend as TDP had reached an understanding on seat share in the alliance while Chada Venkat Reddy, CPI state secretary said that he was not invited for the talks.

After Kodandaram left the meeting “mid-way” from the meeting there were speculations that talks had remained inconclusive. However, Uttam Kumar Reddy, emerging out of the hotel, told media that talks were held in an amicable atmosphere. He dismissed reports that Kodandaram left the meeting in a huff.

He expressed hope that seats issue in Mahakutami parties will be settled by Tuesday. The TPCC chief said that he was leaving for New Delhi on Tuesday for Congress screening committee meetingHe would return to Hyderabad by Tuesday evening.

Meanwhile, TJS had stated that the Congress had given names of constituencies it wanted to allot to TJS. The party would hold a meeting on Tuesday morning and give its reaction. According to sources, Warangal (East), Malkajgiri, Ramagundam, Miryalguda, Siddipet, Ashwaraopet and Chandrayangutta were among the segments that Congress has offered the TJS.