TRS rules out even alliance with Congress (Lead)

Hyderabad, March 15 (IANS) In a major jolt to Congress, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Saturday ruled out electoral alliance with the party for the forthcoming polls to Lok Sabha and state assembly.

After saying a no to merger with Congress, the TRS has now refused to have an electoral truck with the Congress, dashing the last hopes of the party's central leadership.

Addressing TRS workers at the party headquarters and later talking to reporters, TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao made it clear that there will be no poll alliance with Congress.

KCR, as Rao is popular among his supporters, said it was because of the attitude of Congress leaders that his party had to take this decision. He held central leaders Jairam Ramesh and Digvijaya Singh responsible.

"What was the betrayal?" he asked while referring to the statement by Digvijaya Singh that TRS betrayed by refusing to merge even after formation of Telangana state.

The TRS chief reiterated that he had offered to merge his party with the Congress if separate Telangana state is created without any conditions.

The TRS had ruled out merger with the Congress after a bill was passed in parliament last month for formation of separate Telangana state.

KCR took strong exception to the Congress encouraging defections from TRS. "Let's see from tomorrow if TRS MLAs will join the Congress or Congress MLAs will join us," he challenged Congress leaders.

He said the party would hold talks with Communist Party of India (CPI) for the alliance. He also described Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) as a friendly party.

He was confident that barring Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, which is held by MIM, TRS would win all parliamentary seats.

Claiming that the TRS alone can rebuild Telangana, he appealed to people to support the party for a golden future of the state.

"When Seemandhra can have two regional parties, why can't Telangana have a regional party to safeguard its interests and to bring major projects and funds from the centre," he said.

The TRS chief claimed that the future India is nothing but confederation of regional parties.

KCR said there is no room for the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and other Andhra parties in Telangana.

He said the TRS would release first list of candidates for Lok Sabha and assembly elections in a couple of days.

All 17 Lok Sabha and 119 assembly constituencies in Telangana will be going to polls on April 30.

Meanwhile, Congress chief in Telangana, Ponnala Lakshmaiah said their party was never after TRS to merge or have an alliance with it.

"They themselves said they will merge with Congress but they have now gone back," he said claiming that the Congress is strong enough to contest the elections on its own.