Desperate Cong In Search of Allies

Congress appears to be desperate to get allies for the 2014 general elections. All indications point to a heavy loss of seats; above hundred seats in Lok Sabha from the present strength of 206. With prospects in Hindi heartland looking bleak for the Party, the Congress leaders have decided to save its position in four southern states. It is only in Karnataka where the Congress is poised to gain few seats because of the chief minister Siddaramiah who introduced some populist programmes soon after becoming chief minister this year. But in the remaining three states namely Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala the Congress is in hopeless situation.

In Tamil Nadu, the Congress is desperately trying to strike a deal with the DMK.  The Congress took first step when it ensured Karunanidhi to spare its votes for the Rajya Sabha elections so that Kanimozi could win. She retained her seat with the help of the Congress. Now Rahul Gandhi made gesture by greeting Karunaidhi on his birthday besides other Congress leaders. The CBI has gone slow on cases in the 2G scam against Kanimozi, A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran to appease the DMK. Karunanidhi is too willing to tie up with the Congress since its prospects in the elections are also bleak. The DMK will lose heavily and the Congress may draw a blank if it goes on its own in Tamil Nadu. Even Finance Minister P Chidambaram may not be able win a seat from Tamil Nadu in next elections. He is looking for a safe seat in Union Territory of Podducheery. Jayalalitha is poised to sweep the elections in the southern state and her Party the AIADMK will either support the NDA or go with the third front but not with the Congress.

In Andhra Pradesh, the political decision to split the state with an eye on 2014 elections has not paid. The Congress is facing hostile reaction from the people and its leaders from Andhra region. In Telegana it is advantage Congress but should Telengana Rashtriya Samiti  chief Chandra Shekhar Rao decide to retain its separate political identity there will be more trouble for the Congress in the region. The Congress is now trying for the merger of the TRS with it to win the region. But the BJP is set to gain in Andhra Pradesh. Massive response of the people to Narendra Modi’s rally in Hyderabad early this month is seen as BJP gaining ground in the state. On the other hand the Congress is facing stiff challenge from Jaganmohan Reddy and his party which is breakaway group of the Congress.

In Kerala, the allies of the Congress are intact in form of the United Democratic Front but the growing unpopularity of the chief minister Oman Chandy will cost the party heavily in the Lok Sabha elections. Chandy is involved in multi-crore scam of solar energy. The Congress bid to remove Chandy from the office has not been successful so far. With taint on its face, should Chandy continue to head the state government and lead the Congress in the elections next year, not only the Party but its alliance partners in the UDF including the Muslim League would suffer to the benefit of the Left Democratic Front; the Communists stand to gain in the polls.

~R. K. Sinha