Congress to go it alone in AP polls

Vijayawada: Putting an end to the speculation that the Congress party will have tie up with the Telugu Desam Party in the ensuing elections, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and AP affairs chief Oommen Chandy on Wednesday announced that the Congress party will contest the elections alone in the state and the party will not have any tie-up or alliance with TDP or any other party. He along with PCC Chief N Raghuveera Reddy spoke to the party leaders in a meeting organised at the Andhra Ratna Bhavan on Wednesday.

Later, briefing media, Oommen Chandy said the Congress party would contest the elections alone in Andhra Pradesh. The APCC will hold a meeting with the Congress conveners of Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies of the state in Vijayawada on January 31 and announce the future course of action, he said.

Chandy said that the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee called for state bandh on February 1 in view of failure of the NDA government to fulfill the assurances given in the AP Bifurcation Act.

Hailing the appointment of Priyanka Gandhi as the AICC general secretary and in-charge of Eastern Uttar Pradesh affairs, Oommen Chandy said country now needs daring and intelligent leaders like Priyanka Gandhi. The country has been facing many problems due to the misrule of the NDA government. People are looking at the Congress party to put the country back on right track, he said.

PCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy, AICC secretaries C Meyyappan, Christopher Tilak and others were present in the meeting at the Andhra Ratna Bhavan.