HYDERABAD: Cracks are already starting to show up in the grand alliance. Even as the Pradesh Election Committee of the Congress met on Tuesday to discuss its candidates and seat sharing pacts with allies, main ally Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) issued an ultimatum. Make up your mind within two days or we will make our own list, it said.
“We had sought 30 seats initially but was ready for negotiations keeping coalition pressures in mind. But there is no reciprocity of such goodwill from Congress,” said TJS’s official spokesperson Venkat Reddy.
“They are leaking to media that only 3-5 seats would be spared for the TJS. Giving such a less number to a party that has won the credibility of Telangana activists is a humiliation,” he said.
TJS has even resolved to announce names of 20 candidates if Congress refuses to act. But as far as the grand old party is concerned, allies can wait. It has a bigger issue at hand -- its own party members fighting vehemently for seats. The TPCC, which vets applications of candidates before forwarding the same to Delhi bosses in AICC, has received more than 1,000 applications for 119 seats.
According to Congress party insiders who participated in the Tuesday meeting at Golkonda Resorts in the city outskirts, unanimous decision on choice of candidates could be arrived upon only for about 35-40 seats. Heated discussions, debates and lobbying is on for the balance seats.
“We have formed 3 sub-committees to screen the candidates before issuing them ticket,” said Uttam Kumar Reddy.
Reacting to TJS stand, Uttam said he was unaware of the development. Unless Congress sets its own house in order, it cannot strike an effective bargain with allies. This, consequently, is likely to further delay the seat sharing process. How TJS and other allies will react to this is yet to be know. Perhaps, the early poll gamble has paid off?