Surprise in Congress circles over Vayalar’s statement

Hinting of tie-up with YSRC vindicates our stand, say TDP leaders

Union Minister Vayalar Ravi at a press conference in Jaipur during the second day of ‘Chintan Shivir’ on Saturday, had said that Congress would forge alliance with other parties depending on the prevailing situation. Asked whether the Congress would have tie-up with the YSRC, which had emerged as a force to reckon with in Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Ravi said that the local leadership has to discuss and arrive at any decision. “Jaganmohan Reddy has left the Congress party and the local leadership has to discuss and arrive at a decision on whether or not they should go for alliance. Just because, we think about alliance, will that happen? All depends on the local situation also,” he remarked.

The State Congress leadership did not take the remark seriously maintaining that the YSRC was in no mood to reconcile with the Congress party. Former Minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy in Anantapur expressed surprise at Mr. Ravi’s statement wondering at the timing of such remarks when Rahul Gandhi was elevated as the party’s vice-president.

The YSRC leadership saw a design behind such statement and likened it to oft-repeated charge levelled by the TDP against Jaganmohan Reddy.

Meanwhile, the Telugu Desam (TDP) has asserted that its stand that Congress and YSR Congress were ‘friends in league’ was vindicated by the remarks of Mr. Ravi.

TDP MLA G. Muddukrishnama Naidu told reporters here that the Congress and YSR Congress enacted a drama as two different parties to deceive public with an eye on 2014 elections.

Mr. Naidu said the Congress and YSR Congress fell apart over a power struggle for the Chief Minister’s post. He also said Jagan’s mother Vijayamma and wife Bharati held secret parleys with Congress leaders on sharing power. The Congress was trying to get bail for Jagan if he toed its line.