Citing 2019 Lok Sabha poll clouds, Congress plans to ally with TDP in Telangana

With the dark clouds of upcoming Lok Sabha elections covering the sky of politics, regional parties are trying to planning to get cover under the coalition umbrella. Latest in the addition is Telangana Congress, which has hinted to take cover under Chandrababu Naidu’s Telegu Desam Party in Telangana.

Citing upcoming elections and willingness to get back into power, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee is is trying to make a coalition with TDP which parted its ways from Bharatiya Janata Party a couple of months ago on special status tiff. Indicating a coalition with TDP, Telangana PCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy was of the opinion that the state Congress is open for alliances with regional parties in order to defeat the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

ALSO READ: NITI Aayog meet: Naidu raises SCS issue, gets support from Nitish, Mamata

Reddy was open to coalition with all parties, reports CNN-News18. He said, “In the near future, Congress can consider an alliance with the Left parties, Telangana Jana Samithi, the new party floated by professor Kodandram and even the TDP. The leadership will take the final decision.”

Political analysts say that with significant presence of Andhra voters in Hyderabad and the strong grassroots cadre in many pockets in Telangana, the TDP has become a crucial player in the state. Despite bifurcation, TDP won 15 assembly seats and one Lok sabha seat in 2014.

ALSO READ: Chandrababu Naidu accuses BJP of creating Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam controversy

Congress understands the importance of TDP in the upcoming elections, as they split from BJP couple of months back on the issue of special status. Not only this, TDP can play a major role of ‘Kingmaker’  – which Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu predicted for Telangana in the upcoming 2019 elections, like JDS played for Karnataka in the Assembly elections.

So citing all the possibilities, Congress has kept its options open. It would be interesting to see under whose umbrella – TDP or TRS – Congress will take shelter, so that it does not get drenched and washes out like 2014 Lok Sabha polls.