Armed with surveys, TDP wants decent share

​Hyderabad: The talks on seat-sharing between the partners of the Congress-led alliance have reached a crucial stage. The leaders of the front are likely to announce the number of seats they would contest on Saturday. Leaders of the alliance have continued their discussions on the number of seats on Friday night. The TJS, Telugu Desam and CPI have forwarded their requests to the Congress. The CPI has sought 11 seats. The CPI has sought Kothagudem, Wyra, Husnabad, Bellampalli, Alair, Munugodu, Pinapaka, Deverakoda, Mancherial, Qutbullapur or Malkajgiri and Bhupalapalli or Mahabubabad.

Sources said that the Telugu Desam and TJS have also been demanding about 30 seats each. However, the Congress has offered 29 seats to TD, TJS and CPI and these three parties divide the seats between them.

The AICC screening committee would visit the state on October 10 and it would decide the seats to be contested by the Congress and also finalise the candidates. On the otherhand the Pradesh Election Committee is also meeting on Saturday to shortlist its aspirants. The PEC would pick up three to four names from the aspirants and would submit the list for the consideration of the screening committee. The committee would tour the districts for five days and would finalise the names of the candidates.

According to the Congress leaders, an agreement on seat sharing would be arrived at on Saturday. The reports of the surveys being conducted by the party have reached the PCC and the allocation of seats would be decided on them. The representatives of the parties are under pressure from their leaders on the number of seats. Leaders of Congress, Telugu Desam, CPI and TJS have been making it clear that they should not concede to the demands of others. Sources said that the TJS wants about 30 seats as they have been receiving large number of applications for the contest. The party has been seeking some seats which were earlier represented by the Congress. Meanwhile, Telugu Desam has prepared a report on the party’s winning prospects in 119 assembly constituencies in the ensuing elections in Telangana.

Based on the survey report, the party believes it has strong presence in not less than 20 assembly segments in South Telangana and GHMC limits. It believes that it has winning chances in Kodada, Devarakadra, Sattupally, Ashwaraopeta, Wanaparthi, Kollapur, Alampur, Kukatpally, Qutbullapur, Serilingpampally, Maheswaram, LB Nagar , Ibrahimpatnam , Narsampet, Jubilee Hills, Malkajigiri. TDP leaders said that the party is stronger than Mahakutami partners in the 20 assembly constituencies. If these segments are allotted to TDP, the party will win hands down with the support of Congress and other partners – CPI and Telangana Jana Samithi of the Mahakutami.

In another 30 segments, Telugu Desam is still holding grip with strong cadre and influence the winning chances of the Mahakutami candidates. Nagarkurnool, Miryalaguda, Suryapeta, Parakala, Uppal, Medchal, Khammam, Kothagudem etc. Party leaders said that the three rounds of surveys were conducted and prepared the final report which is to be presented in the next Mahakutami meeting and seek the allotment of seats to TDP based on the outcome of the surveys.

The party leaders said that the survey reports were already forwarded to TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu and requested the latter to pursue the issue of finalisation of the allotment of seats with Congress high command in case the state-level leaders failed to arrive at consensus on seats in the meetings between Mahakutami partners.

A senior party leader said that prospective winning candidates in 20 assembly segments were already identified and they launched campaign in their respective constituencies. Once the names are announced, the candidates will take up joint campaign with its political partners.