TDP welcome to join UPA, says Veerappa Moily

The N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is welcome to join the UPA for the cause of a united fight against the NDA, senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily said Tuesday.

The TDP is currently engaged in seat-sharing talks with the Congress for the December seven Assembly elections in Telangana, which was carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014.

The TDP broke away from the NDA earlier this year over the Centre's refusal to grant special category status to Andhra Pradesh.

In an interview to PTI, Moily said the idea was to bring all the opposition parties together to unitedly fight the BJP-led NDA.

He was responding to a query if the electoral alliance in Telangana would continue for next year's Lok Sabha elections.

On whether TDP, headed by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu, is welcome to join the UPA, the former Union Minister said, "Naturally. We would like to have proper understanding between the Opposition. This (TDP) is one such opposition party".

"It's a good signal. This is going to help", added Moily, who had served as the AICC in-charge of party affairs in the undivided Andhra Pradesh, on TDP's electoral pact with the Congress for the Telangana polls.

Moily, a former Karnataka Chief Minister, also hit out at TRS President and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao.

"...the gentleman (Rao) who has been heading (Telangana) is most ungrateful fellow," he said and claimed that Rao became the Chief Minister following the "sacrifice" made by the Congress in terms of conceding the demand for separate statehood for Telangana.

"But he (Rao) does not remember at all. He has bad-mouthed our leader. I don't think people of Telangana will forgive him," Moily said obviously referring to Rao describing Congress President Rahul Gandhi as the "biggest buffoon" of the country.

Referring to upcoming Assembly elections in five States, he said the Congress is certain to bag Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram, and it would not be a surprise if it wins in Chhattisgarh.

"Since there is a proper 'ghatbandhan' in Telangana (where the Congress is in the process of finalising seat-sharing deal with TDP, TJS and CPI), we are also going to win there", he claimed.

Once the "graph of BJP is down" in all these states, it will be writing on the wall for that party and it will not return to power at the Centre, Moily said.