The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Congress,TRS seat-sharing talks progressing smoothly

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 15, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Congress,TRS seat-sharing talks progressing smoothly

Special Correspondent

The idea is to deny advantage to the Telugu Desam Party, says Narendra

QUIET SATISFACTION: Telangana Rashtra Samithi leaders led by Union Minister A. Narendra coming out of the Chief Minister's residence in Hyderabad on Wednesday, after holding talks on seat-sharing for the panchayat elections. Photo: Satish. H.

HYDERABAD: The ongoing consultations between the Congress and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) over seat-sharing for local body polls progressed smoothly on Wednesday evening with both sides expressing confidence that an amicable settlement would be reached by Thursday.

The leaders of the parties continued the parleys in the presence of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy. Emerging from the meeting, APCC president K. Keshava Rao and senior TRS leader A. Narendra, said the list of mandals to be contested by the respective parties would be released on Thurs-day.

Both, Mr. Rao and Mr. Narendra said the talks were held smoothly. Mr. Narendra also said there were no major differences of opinion between the two parties.

"There are no obstacles nor confusion in the process", he said adding that the objective was to ensure there was no transfer of vote from the allies for the benefit of the Telugu Desam.

`Alliance intact'

Earlier, Rural Development Minister D. Srinivas, who also participated in the talks, confirmed that the alliance between Congress and TRS was intact. Overall, the talks were carried out successfully.

He was confident that the parties would win 95 per cent of the seats. Home Minister K. Jana Reddy and Mines and Geology Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy also took part.

Before the talks began, Mr. Narendra told reporters that the seat-sharing was almost complete in Warangal and Adilabad. Nearly half the seats were settled in Nalgonda while there was some progress in talks in Nizamabad.

He charged the Congress with not cooperating in four to five districts.

He added that the TRS was only demanding the seats it held and a share in the contest against the TDP from wherever it was in fray.

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