Communists to sail with Cong in Panchayat polls in AP

Hyderabad, May 6 (UNI) With both the Communist parties announcing their willingness to ally with the Congress during the ensuing coming Panchayat elections in Andhra Pradesh, the opposition Telugu Desam Party is likely to wage a lone battle.

The Left parties who fought the 2004 Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Congress and defeated the TDP had announced their willingness to continue the alliance in the ensuing Panchayat elections also.

The TDP which allied with the BJP during the last election had snapped its ties after the poll debacle, realizing that it had lost the minority votes due to its alliance with the BJP.

TDP President and former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu had expressed his willingness to ally with the Communists, also former allies as he had decided to snap his ties with the BJP, the left parties spurned his overtures and decided to sail with the Congress.

CPI State Secretary Dr K Narayana at Vijayawada and party State Executive Committee member Rama Krishna at Kurnool today announced that the party would be contesting in alliance with the Congress.

The CPI(M) has already announced to contest the Panchayat polls in alliance with the Congress.

Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy and PCC chief Dr K Keshava Rao have already initiated talks with both the Communist parties on seat sharing.

The Majlis, who also allied with the Congress during last elections opposing TDP's alliance with the BJP were yet to announce their stand. The party was also likely to ally with the Congress in view of Chief Minister's decision to provide 5 per cent reservations to Muslims in jobs and education.

Though the decision to provide reservations to Muslims was struck down by the Supreme Court, Dr Reddy asserted that his government was committed to the assurance it gave to the Muslims in its election manifesto and would do the needful to overcome the legal problems.

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