HYDERABAD: TJS chief professor M Kodandaram has decided not to contest in the upcoming Assembly polls and limit himself to campaigning for the Grand Alliance. He will be made chairman of the committee to implement the common minimum program (CMP) if the alliance comes to power. TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said the committee would be a statutory body and the TJS chief would be made a minister.
The decision was taken late on Friday after the TPCC chief, Telangana Congress Affairs in-charge RC Khuntia, former PCC chief and Congress leader Ponnala Lakshmaiah held a brainstorming session with Kodandaram at the TJS office.Lakshmaiah succeeded in retaining the tie-up’s Jangaon ticket, despite intense haggling by the TJS chief who was hopeful of emerging victorious from the constituency. Kodandaram was promised the CMP committee head position in exchange for the coveted ticket.
Grand Alliance sources said Uttam had requested Kodandaram to part with Jangaon as Rahul Gandhi had personally conveyed the message, assuring him that the Congress High Command would reward him for his services in “many more ways” in the coming days.
By entrusting Kodandaram with the responsibility of coordinating between parties in the Grand Alliance, the Congress expects to attract students. The deliberation paved way for the Congress announcing its third list with 13 candidates and the TJS, its first list with four names. The Congress dropped a bombshell by denying Sanathnagar segment to senior leader Marri Shashidhar Reddy and allotting it instead to alliance partner TTDP. The party’s chief L Ramana, however, won’t contest.