The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Congress seniors differ on tie-up

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Tuesday, Jan 06, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Congress seniors differ on tie-up

Special Correspondent

A section of party leaders from Telangana favours truck with the TRS

— PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR

Strategic meeting: PCC president D. Srinivas greeting AICC AP Affairs coordinator P.J. Kurien at his residence in Hyderabad on Monday.

HYDERABAD: Sharp differences surfaced among senior Congress leaders over an alliance with the Telangana Rashtra Samiti at a meeting convened by APCC president D. Srinivas here on Monday.

While a section of them feared that the party would suffer reverses if it went alone in the next elections, a senior leader claimed that the TRS leadership itself was indecisive over the question of alliances. Those from Telangana were unanimous in their view that the time had come for the Congress leadership to clear its stand on separate Telangana.

Breakfast meeting

The platform for airing their views on the issue was a breakfast meeting hosted by Mr. Srinivas for AICC AP Affairs coordinator P.J. Kurien. Former Chief Ministers N. Janardhana Reddy and Nadendla Bhaskara Rao, senior leaders G. Venkatswamy, M. Satyanarayana Rao and V. Hanumanth Rao were among others who participated in the meeting. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy too was expected to attend, but excused himself at the last minute.

Mr. Hanumanth Rao was said to be most vocal in supporting a truck with the TRS claiming it was necessary as the Congress stood isolated now. The Telugu Desam had extended its support to the separate State while the Left parties had declared that they would not pose hurdles in its creation.

“Pending a decision on Telangana, the only way the party can face the people is a tie-up with the TRS,” Mr. Rao said.

Mr. Satyanarayana Rao, however, differed with the view claiming there was “no point in worrying about alliance with the TRS” when the latter was indecisive. “The TRS is at crossroads and is unable to take any firm decision on alliances,” he said.

Talking to reporter later, Mr. Srinivas claimed that there was no political significance attached to the meeting and it was a “get together” of senior leaders with Prof. Kurien. To a question, he said the results in the recent ZPTC by-election was not a pointer to the political situation in the State.

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