Adjusting with one seat as understanding with Congress “inevitable”, says CPI leader

CPI not satisfied with Congress seat allocation, but must accept it to defeat BRS. Chada Venkat Reddy says alliance unavoidable. Alleges "tacit understanding" between BJP & BRS. People firmly against BRS, despite strategies to lure voters. KCR's claims on welfare programmes & 24-hr power supply hollow.

The Communist Party of India (CPI) has said that it is not satisfied with allocation of one seat by the Congress in the forthcoming elections to Telangana legislative assembly, but the party has to put up with it to defeat the “undemocratic and dictatorial” Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS).

CPI national council member Chada Venkat Reddy said the party entered into understanding with the Congress under “inevitable” circumstances. The two Left parties are not fighting the polls together as the CPI (M) could not forge an understanding with the Congress. “Alliances have become unavoidable and hence, our understanding with the Congress,” he said.

Mr. Venkat Reddy who participated in a Meet-the-Press programme organised by the Telangana Union of Working Journalists here on Thursday asserted that the party would continue its struggle for issues of public importance irrespective of the party that would come to power after the elections. He alleged that there was “tacit understanding” between the BJP and the BRS as could be seen from the IT raids on the Congress candidates ahead of elections.

There were no raids as long as the BRS was in power, but enforcement agencies were conducting raids on the Congress candidates ever since the election process started. “Why are the enforcement agencies not raiding the premises of the BJP and BRS candidates?” he asked.

The party was confident that people were firmly against the ruling BRS irrespective of the strategies it was adopting to lure voters. “Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao harped much on the Kaleshwaram project but the lapses in the construction are getting exposed now”, he said. The claims of the Government on implementing a spree of welfare programmes too turned hollow going by the burden of indirect taxes mounting on the people.

He criticised the BRS Government for its claims on providing 24-hour power supply to all sections and alleged that people were facing problems due to absence of quality power. The same was the case with the common man who was burdened on various counts. “Why are the people forced to depend on the Government in the State which claims itself to be rich?” he asked.

He accused the Chief Minister of going back on his promise to work with progressive forces made in the run up to the Munugode bypoll. He expressed concern over the leakage of question papers of competitive examinations that adversely affected aspiring youth. He alleged that fundamental rights of the people were being harmed under the BRS dispensation while the Government was focussing on enhancing its revenue through liquor sale rather than concentrating on improving the conditions in the welfare hostels.