Congress rules out alliance with BRS for Telangana, Lok Sabha polls

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and top leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday told leaders from poll-bound Telangana that the party will not enter into an alliance with the K Chandrashekar Rao-led BRS in the state or as part of the national Opposition alliance.

Rahul also asked leaders to forget whatever differences they have with each other and work together to form a Congress government in Telangana, which is now ruled by the BRS, party leaders said after a meeting senior Telangana leaders had with central leadership.

The assertion of the top Congress leaders came as Rao ventured into Maharashtra by holding a public meeting on Monday, a move which was not taken kindly by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), the NCP, and the Congress.

BRS was also not part of the meeting of 15 Opposition parties in Patna last Friday, as it felt that sharing a platform with the Congress, which is perceived to have gained ground in Telangana after the recent victory in Karnataka, would be detrimental to its interests.

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It was also not part of the 19 parties that issued a joint statement boycotting the inauguration of the new Parliament building. Though it did not officially announce the boycott, the BRS MPs were not present at the function.

“Kharge-ji and Rahul-ji have told us that there will not be any alliance with the BRS. BRS is also not going to be part of the national Opposition alliance because BRS and BJP are working together. They are nothing but one,” Telangana Campaign Committee chairman Madhu Goud Yaskhi told reporters.

When asked whether there is a possibility of a post-poll alliance in case of a hung assembly, Yashki ruled out such a possibility. “In such a scenario, BRS and BJP will join hands,” he told DH.

The Congress is specifically unhappy with the BRS for entering Maharashtra and other states where it is stronger. “Wherever Congress is strong, BRS is coming there to help the BJP. That is happening across India,” Congress Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakre said.

He said Rahul told the meeting that the state unit should start preparations for the elections and whatever differences they have, they should forget it and unitedly fight to win the polls. Congress General Secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal too acknowledged that there are differences in the party but they have decided to face the elections unitedly.

At the meeting also attended by senior leaders like Congress General Secretary Uttam Kumar Reddy, Renuka Chowdhury and Hanumantha Rao among others, the leaders decided to focus on the poor and formulate specific programmes targeting farmers, youth, women, minorities and other social groups.

The major thrust of the campaign would be the alleged corruption of the BRS government, like the way the Congress heralded its campaign in Karnataka.

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The central leadership also asked Telangana leaders to start a door-to-door campaign. “We need to move faster,” Thakre said.

Kharge tweeted, “people of Telangana are yearning for change. They are looking towards the Congress party. The Congress party is ready to take on any challenge. Together, we will usher a brighter future for Telangana, based on shared democratic values and all-around social welfare.”

Venugopal said in a tweet, “Telangana is ready to defeat KCR's feudal govt and crush the unholy alliance between BRS and BJP. Telangana is just the beginning. In every village, in every town, the people are looking at the Congress with hope. All over the country, leaders with their ear to the ground are picking up this huge undercurrent in favour of the Congress and are eager to join.”