In Andhra Pradesh, where the lok Sabha polls will be held in two phases on April 30 and May 7 under President’s rule, Congress party stung by the refusal of Telangana Rashtra Samiti for merger, has started devising its own counter strategy.
While TRS said that it was going to win majority of 17 lok Sabha seats in the region and secure majority in the State Assembly, Congress leaders were planning to launch a no hold barred attack on TRS. “We will expose the treachery of KCR who after promising to merge his party with Congress backed out”, said a senior Congress leader of Telangana region.
Congress high command was so piqued by the development that AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh contacted senior party leaders of Telangana and asked them to be ready for a no hold barred fight against TRS.
According to the sources, Digvijay Singh told K Jana Reddy, Mohamed Ali Shabbir and other party leaders to gear up for an intense campaign to ensure that the credit for the formation of Telangana State goes to the Congress party and Sonia Gandhi.
Party leaders assured Digvijay Singh that the people will stand by Congress as they recognize the role of Sonia Gandhi in fulfilling their demand and they will reward Congress party with a majority in the state assembly and most of the seats of lok Sabha.
Confident Congress leaders told Digvijay Singh that there was no need for any merger of even an alliance with the TRS.
While Telangana will have lok Sabha elections on April 30, Seemandhra will have it on May 7. The Union government has already decided that June 2 will be the formation day of Telangana state and the president’s rule will continue till then.
Meanwhile Congress leaders were in Seemandhra region were happy with the TRS handing down a royal snub to the central leadership of Congress party.
“The leadership had ignored our warning that KCR was unreliable person. At least now the Delhi leaders should come to their senses”, said union minister K Sambasiva Rao who was opposed to Telangana state formation. He alleged that the Congress leadership had insulted its own leaders hoping to bring in the leaders of another party.
Meanwhile KCR has focused his attention on the local bodies elections. On Wednesday he met the party MlAs and MlCs and constituency in charges to discuss the party strategy for the urban local bodies.