Hyderabad: The Congress high command has directed the party in the Telugu states to have an alliance with the people and leave the issue of political tie-ups to it.
When some Congress leaders, who are eager to have a tie-up, asked a responsible AICC leader about alliances, they were told: “You concentrate on alliance with the people, leave political alliance issue to the high command.”
Some TS Congress leaders want to tie-up with the Telugu Desam and Left parties. They are also eyeing a tie up with the Telangana Jana Samiti of Prof. Kodandaram. In Andhra Pradesh, Congress leaders want an alliance with the Left parties.
The AICC has started discussions to form a grand alliance to face the BJP in the next elections. AICC president Rahul Gandhi, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar and CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury are playing a key role in its formation.
After taking charge as AP Congress incharge, Mr Oommen Chandy had visited the state for two days and held discussions with senor leaders.
When a senior AP Con-gress leader asked about alliances, Mr Chandy told them to leave it to the high command.
Sources said the AICC was likely to concentrate on alliance issues in the Telugu states after September.
The Telangana state Congress is likely to have an alliance with the CPI. If the CPM decides to have an alliance with Congress as a part of grand alliance, the alliance will extend to the two Telugu states.
CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy recently said that the party was ready to ally with the YSRC in AP if it came forward unconditionally. But, following speculations that the YSRC and the BJP have a secret pact, the CPI may prefer the Congress.
