The Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) is likely to get only five seats in the understanding with its alliance partners comprising Congress, Telugu Desam and the CPI if the party wants to keep the alliance afloat.
The Congress actually conceded eight seats to TJS, of which three were also claimed by the TDP and CPI. The TJS was thus being forced to give up three seats and retain the remaining five, including one in the old city of Hyderabad where it had no hope of winning, but put up a token fight. This meant, the TJS would effectively get only four seats — Warangal (East), Malkajgiri, Ramagundam and other constituency — to make a strong bid of winning, a senior leader of the TJS told The Hindu.
‘Our initiative’
He ruled out pulling out of the alliance as the TJS was not happy with the allotment of seats, saying the “initiative of alliance was from our side to end the autocratic rule of the TRS. Why will we go against our objective?”
He also said the TJS was helpless because the alliance was completely steered by the Congress. The State leadership of the Congress also appeared to be under pressure not to concede more than the eight seats though the TJS furnished a list of 21 constituencies initially. He blamed the inability of the Congress to be accommodative to the wishes of alliance partners.
On the other hand, CPI State secretary Chada Venkat Reddy expressed the hope that the alliance would be clinched on Wednesday as the Congress showed signs of conceding the request. He said the CPI had sought nine seats but scaled it down to seven seats.
As regards seat-sharing between Congress and Telugu Desam, sources said it was being worked out smoothly as the latter party was more keen on its winning chances rather than contesting in a larger number of seats without assuring itself of victory. The same was conveyed by TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu ot the local leadership of the party.