HYDERABAD: Reports of election strategist Prashant Kishore purportedly suggesting that Congress should go it alone in Telangana and form an alliance with the YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh has become a hot topic of discussion in the state.
Though sources said certain video clips of PK’s presentation to Sonia Gandhi and team were leaked as per which the Congress should tread a solo path in Telangana, a senior AICC leader dismissed them as mere rumours. “It is the party high command in consultation with the respective Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) that will decide whether to go it alone or form alliances,” he told TOI.
On his part, AICC in-charge of Telangana Manickam Tagore told TOI that it was on April 4 that Rahul Gandhi had made it clear to the top 40 leaders from Telangana Congress that they will not have any tie-up with either the TRS or the AIMIM.
“Election strategists, political observers and other experts may suggest or even recommend anything. But ultimately, it is the Congress leadership which will discuss and take an appropriate decision. We have been reiterating that we will not have any sort of understanding with either the TRS or the AIMIM in Telangana,” asserted Tagore.
A TRS leader close to municipal administration minister KT Rama Rao said there is no question of having any understanding with PK if he joins Congress. “There are a lot of speculations going in the political circles about the role of PK. Earlier, the TRS had talks with Sunil Kanugolu too but things didn’t work out. Why should we jump to conclusions. A clarity will emerge soon about PK’s next move,” the leader said.
A majority of the Congress leaders are of the opinion that PK will be given the responsibility of planning the victory of Congress-allied forces against the BJP in Lok Sabha and assembly elections. However, when it comes to Telangana and Karnataka, Kanugolu will continue to work for the victory of Congress in the assembly elections in the two states.
A YSRC leader said unlike Telangana, elections to assembly and Lok Sabha are simultaneous in April/May 2024 in Andhra Pradesh. “Jagan Mohan Reddy-YSRC needs no alliances and will sweep the assembly and Lok Sabha polls on its own. However, CM Jagan will take the final decision,” he said.
