
The Congress has decided to contest on 94 seats in poll-bound Telangana, sources in Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee said on Thursday. After a marathon meeting with AICC leaders in New Delhi, Congress has decided on candidates for 74 seats, while a decision on the remaining 20 seats would be taken on November 11.
“It has been suggested that TDP (Telangana) contest on 14 seats; Telangana Jana Samiti on 8 seats and CPI on 3 seats. This is the seat-sharing arrangement which I think all alliance partners will agree,” a TPCC leader said.
The first Congress list will be released Friday. TDP (Telangana) president L Ramana said the party will discuss and convey decision whether they agree with the seat-sharing arrangement or not on Friday.
Expressing disappointment with the seat-sharing proposal, CPI Telangana Secretary C Venkat Reddy said the party was unhappy they are getting only 3 seats as part of the seat-sharing arrangement. “We asked for a minimum of four seats. So we are disappointed. We will take a call tomorrow,” Reddy said.
Ending several days of suspense, the Congress screening committee approved candidates for 74 Assembly constituencies today. As the party is expecting protests by supporters of aspirants who could not get tickets, security has been beefed up outside Gandhi bhavan, the Congress office.
The 119-member Telangana legislative assembly will go to polls on December 7. The assembly polls in the state were initially scheduled to be held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections next year, but the Assembly was dissolved on September 6 as per a recommendation by the state cabinet.