Date:07/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/07/stories/2009010760150400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

‘Grand alliance’ will not impact Congress: YSR

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister gives assessment of situation to AICC leadership

D. Srinivas differs with YSR, says there is still scope for truck with TRS
Chief Minister confident about Congress getting ‘positive vote’

HYDERABAD: In an assessment of the political situation that he provided to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) leadership on Tuesday evening, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy reportedly said that the alliance-in-the-making between the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the Left will not hurt the Congress’ prospects in the coming elections.

On the other hand, the TRS’ move to part company with the Congress was, in a way, good riddance since the ruling party need not concede the 30-odd Assembly seats to it, sources quoted Dr. Reddy as telling AICC president Sonia Gandhi and Union Ministers Pranab Mukherjee and A. K. Antony at a meeting of the party’s core committee in New Delhi.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who are also members of this committee, did not attend.

Differing views

Dr. Reddy’s views on this score appeared at variance with those of APCC president D. Srinivas who stated at Bheemgal in Nizamabad district that the doors for his party were still open for the Congress’ erstwhile ally, the TRS. He maintained that the Congress had never severed its ties with the TRS nor longed for an alliance in the 2004 elections.

The Chief Minister reasoned during the hour-long meeting with his party leaders that the Congress had a positive vote arising from the popularity of its programmes like Rajiv Arogyasri and Rs. 2-a-kg rice scheme and the ‘grand alliance’ would not hurt its prospects.

Moreover, triangular contests between the Congress, the Praja Rajyam and the new front would only help the ruling party by dividing the anti-establishment vote.

YSR unfazed

Sources said Dr. Reddy was unfazed by the TRS’ move to hitch its bandwagon with that of the TDP.

This was only to be expected if the Congress did not meet his demands or woo him politically.

He was even reported to have quoted a report published by a regional daily that the Congress enjoyed a 48 per cent vote share.

Dr. Reddy is likely to call on Dr. Manmohan Singh on Wednesday and has lined up a series of meetings with several Union Ministers.