Patchwork electoral alliance falling apart

VV Balakrishna
First Published : 25 Jun 2009 11:07:19 AM IST
Last Updated :

HYDERABAD: After the electoral debacle, the principal partners of the Grand Alliance (GA) are now poles apart. As all the hopes of the GA partners withered away in the recently-concluded General Elections, the parties are drifting away in search of new allies. The principal partner in the Grand

Alliance, Telugu Desam Party, appears to have become isolated.

After the Alliance failed in the elections, it was the Telangana Rashtra

Samithi (TRS) that was first to blame the TDP for the poll reverses. The TRS

alleged that transfer of votes between TDP and TRS were one-sided. Only

TR S votes polled to TDP. ``TR S did not get the TDP votes as expected,’’ TRS leaders repeatedly alleged. After the TRS’ outburst, it was the

turn of the Left to blame the TDP. A section of the CPI leaders alleged that

the alliance with TDP backfired in the elections. CPI also pointed fingers at

the CPM for ditching the CPI. Now, the CPI leaders are trying to

rope in Praja Rajyam Party under the umbrella of the Grand Alliance.

The CPM too blamed the TDP for its poor-show in the election. However, unlike the CPI the CPM leaders did not blast the yellow party.

The TDP on the other hand was guarded in its reaction. “All the observations

made by TR S and the Left leaders were the internal matters of the

respective parties,’’ a TDP leader said. But, the TDP too is of the opinion that

the the alliance with TRS had done more damage to the party both in Telangana

and Andhra regions. The Congress got 50 Assembly seats in the Telangana without forging any alliances, a TDP leader observed. The TDP will discuss the alliances issue and the performance of the Grand Alliance in the three-day review meetings of the party scheduled from June 25. On the future of the alliance, a TDP leader remarked that it would be discussed only after five years. On the alliances in the forthcoming local body elections, another leader said

that the party would discuss and take a decision soon. But, reacting to CPI’s invitation to the PRP to join the Grand Alliance, PRP chief Chiranjeevi said that his party had no objection to join the alliance, provided the TDP was kept out of it. The TDP too may not like to work with the PRP. Whether the CPI would

prefer TDP or PRP in the local body elections remains to be seen. On its part, the TDP was willing to work together with the CPM. vvbalakrishna@epmltd.com