Cong won't bend to please TRS - TeluguPeople.com News

Hyderabad: The war of words between Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) appears to be intensifying as both the parties have so far failed to forge an alliance for the coming elections.

The visiting AICC General Secretary in-charge of AP affairs Digvijay Singh accused the TRS Chief K Chandrasekhar Rao of failing to keep up his earlier promise of merging his party with the Congress once the Telanagana State was formed.

Singh was speaking to media on Friday as part of the "Meet the Press" programme. Apparently indicating hardening of his party's stand on the TRS, he assailed KCR for reneging on his promise of merging his party with Congress.

"When the Bill was introduced in the Parliament, he said that once the Bill is passed its objective would be over. I and Congress president Sonia Gandhi believed these words. But to our surprise we learnt from the media that he has ruled it out," Singh said.

The AICC general secretary asserted that the Congress party would not bend backwards to please the TRS. "If the TRS leadership comes forward with the tie-up proposal, then we will forward it to the Antony Committee which is looking into the issue of poll alliances," he said.

Flanked by Telangana PCC president P Laxmaiah and working president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, the AICC leader responded cautiously to the question of making Dalit leader the first Chief Minister of Telangana State. "The elected legislators of Telangana will take a decision on this," he said.

Singh expressed displeasure over former Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy leaving the Congress to float his own party. "We are very disappointed by Kiran Kumar Reddy.

He had promised to abide by the decision of the Congress High Command and assured that he would never leave the Congress party. He had also ruled out floating a new party," he said adding that the Congress respects all leaders who stood by the decision of the high command although they differed on the issue of bifurcation.

Replying to a question, he said that Kiran was given total freedom to express his opinions as the party felt that Telangana was a contentious one. "I could not reprimand Kiran for what he said. Because we did not want to impose our will," he maintained.

He indicated that there was a possibility of Congress having an alliance with the Left parties. Stating that Telangana and Seemandhra were given good incentives and packages, Singh said that they must use them for development and emerge as best States in the country.

He said that Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 provided for special packages to the backward districts in Telangana, Rayalaseema and Seemandhra.