Cong, TRS likely to discuss alliance next week

TRS has appointed a committee of senior leaders, headed by Keshav Rao, to take a call on alliance

Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) are likely to hold talks here early next week over electoral alliance after the regional party in Andhra Pradesh rejected the demand for a merger.

"I am in touch with (TRS leader) Kesav Rao. He is likely to come to Delhi on Monday," AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh Digvijaya Singh told reporters here.

TRS has appointed a committee of senior leaders, headed by Keshav Rao, to take a call on the alliance.

Singh downplayed questions on opposition by a section of Telangana Congress leaders against the alliance with TRS.

"There are all kind of views and we are talking to our own leadership, which will decide," he added.

Asked about former Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy floating a new political party, he claimed that Reddy had promised him that he would not make such a move.

"He had promised me that he will not form a political party. Even day before yesterday he had promised me that he will not form a political party," Singh said.

By floating another party, Singh said, Reddy would help all those, who are basically against Congress and its ideology.

On the issue of several Seemandhra Ministers, including Purandeswari, leaving Congress party, he said, they are free to join any political party.

Asked about the appointment of new Pradesh Congress Committee presidents for Seemandhra and Telangana, he said the announcement would be made in a couple of days.

"We are in the process of deciding our PCC presidents of Telangana and Seemandhra along with election committee and election manifesto committee in one or two days," he said.

Congress sources said, while names of former Deputy Chief Minister Damodar Raja Narasimha, former Minister Jana Reddy and Union Minister Jaipal Reddy are being considered for the post of President in Telangana Congress, the names of Union Minister Chiranjeevi and former State Minister Kanna Lakshminarayana are doing the rounds for Seemandhra region.