After their bitter parting in 2008, the Congress and the CPI are likely to join hands in Telangana. AICC sources said Congress and CPI are inching closer to an electoral pact in the State under which the left party is likely to contest in 10 out of 119 Assembly segments and one lok Sabha constituency in Telengana. 

After the Congress failed to  strike pact with the TRS, the CPI took the opportunity to initiate talks with the Congress. An official announcement about the Congress-CPI alliance is expected in a week’s time. The Congress might contest the remaining 16 parliamentary constituencies in Telengana. A senior Congress leader said talks on alliance commenced following a request from the State unit.

Union Minister Vayalar Ravi, who heads the AP screening committee said that leaders from both the States would have consultations with the High Command in the first week of April to finalise the list. AICC has already constituted separate PCCs and election committee for both the regions. The Congress is facing a tough battle in the region against TDP led by Chandrababu Naidu, YSR Congress by Jaganmohan Reddy and former Chief Minister  Kiran Kumar Reddy who recently launched his own political outfit.

While 17 parliamentary seats of Telangana will exercise their franchise on April 30, Seemandhra would vote on May 7. Assembly elections are also being held simultaneously along with the lok Sabha polls. In the wake of bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, career of political stalwarts of the region like Union Ministers MM Pallam Raju, S Jaipal Reddy, K S Rao, KSJP Reddy, Pannaba lakshmi, former MoS Commerce D Purandeshwari, and former AP CM N Kiran Kumar Reddy are at stake.