After being spurned by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) for an electoral alliance, the Congress is close to sealing a pact with the CPI and other minor outfits for the general elections in Telangana. It is likely to enter into a friendly alliance with MIM in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.
Talks between Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Ponnala Lakshmaiah and a CPI delegation led by former MP Aziz Pasha and others were termed ‘cordial’, leading to electoral pact.
The Congress leadership has invited like-minded parties that had actively participated in the agitation for statehood to Telangana to join its ranks in the elections.
According to TPCC sources, the CPI has demanded two parliamentary constituencies and 17 Assembly seats. It is insisting on Nalgonda and Khammam Lok Sabha seats. The Congress is said to be veering round to conceding one Lok Sabha and 12 Assembly seats. Mr. Lakshmaiah on Monday said the talks were fruitful and he was confident that the seat-sharing pact would be finalised in next few days.
Sources said before the consultations began here, top Congress leaders Digvijay Singh and Vayalar Ravi held a meeting with CPI top brass, including its general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy and secretary D. Raja.
“The two parties had come to a preliminary understanding that they should sail together,” sources said, adding that though they had approached the TRS too for an alliance, there were no positive signals so far.
In the 294-member Assembly, the CPI has four MLAs. The party is now keen on Nalgonda parliamentary seat but the Congress is firm on allotting the Khammam seat.
It reasons that Nalgonda seat is presently represented by Congress MP Gutha Sukhender Reddy and it would not be proper to deny him the ticket.
Highly-placed party sources said both the Congress and MIM have reached an understanding. The former is likely to put up a token contest in at least a dozen constituencies in the Old City of Hyderabad. The MIM is likely to reciprocate by not fielding its candidates in other Assembly constituencies in Telangana.
The Congress is also said to be in talks with the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the CPI(ML) New Democracy for seat-haring. If the talks succeed, the two parties may get two seats each.
