Congress list decision casts cloud on Mahakutami

​Hyderabad: Mahakutami’s unity seems to be in tatters as Telangana Jana Samithi is peeved with the attitude of Congress, which it says has been taking unilateral decisions without consulting the alliance partners. The Congress party’s latest statement to release first list of party candidates on November 1 had led to the resentment among TJS ranks.

The TJS is in a state of shock with Congress going ahead with releasing its list without confirming share of seats of alliance parties, including the TJS. Congress’s tactics in the last few weeks figured mainly in the four-hour-long core committee meeting convened by Prof Kodandaram at TJS office in Nampally on Monday.

“TJS has submitted a list of Assembly segments where it is keen on contesting. Without confirming our list, Congress is releasing its first list, which we are also not aware of. Congress strategy looks like alliance parties had to settle for seats that do not figure in its list. This is not coalition dharma. Congress has to keep alliance partners in loop about seats that it plans to contest and those it would leave for TJS and other parties,” a senior TJS leader rued.

Also, the TJS core committee meeting laid emphasis on contesting not less than 15 seats in elections. Any seats figure less than that is not acceptable and should be rejected straight away, the leader added.

Few leaders also proposed coming out of Congress-led Mahakutami in view of national party making light of TJS influence and impact in upcoming elections. Leaving Mahakutami and forming another alliance with other like-minded parties has to be explored at the earliest, it was stressed in the meeting. Some leaders also made a mention of how Congress was interested in family politics and giving multiple tickets to members from same family at the cost of TJS if required.

TJS leaders highlighted the differences between TJS and Congress over Miryalaguda seat. TJS has sought this seat to field retired IRS officer Vidyadhar Reddy, while Congress senior leader K Jana Reddy is putting in his best efforts to make a way for his son on behalf of the national party. TJS core-committee felt Congress was interested in family politics more than its coalition parties.

The meeting also discussed K T Rama Rao’s statement that he would safeguard interests of Andhra population in Telangana. Political parties are bothered about Andhra population and voters and hence, such statements are being made to appease them. TJS rued that no party was speaking about protecting and taking care of interests of Telangana people or assisting families of Telangana martyrs.