Hyderabad: Prashant Kishor's talks over two days with Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, amid speculation that the former would join Congress, and the TRS' decision to work with the I-PAC, caused a flutter in Telangana politics on Monday. The ruling TRS would work with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and not with Kishor, TRS sources said, highlighting that the election strategist has disassociated himself with the organisation.
The I-PAC is working with multiple parties across the country, the sources said. However, this has given enough ammunition to the BJP to put the Congress and TRS in a spot. BJP OBC Morcha National President K Laxman claimed that the "dual policy" of the two parties stands exposed. "After holding talks with Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Prashant Kishor camped in Pragati Bhavan (CM KCR's official residence) for two days and held talks. What message does this give?” he asked.
"I-PAC would work for TRS in the state, but Prashant Kishor would be in circulation as a Congress leader at the national level. Can people not understand this dual policy?" Laxman said. He referred to comments of state Congress leaders that the party high command would deal with the issue of Kishor and they would abide by its decision.
BJP spokesperson in Telangana Krishna Saagar Rao said it is almost official now that TRS and Congress would be in a pre-poll alliance in Telangana for next year's assembly elections. "Yesterday's meeting between CM KCR and Prashant Kishor and their subsequent statements have established that this alliance is firmed up between KCR and Sonia Gandhi," he said in a statement.
BJP would be fighting "TRS and Congress alliance" in the next elections, he said. "This uncouth, corrupt and opportunistic alliance will be rejected by the people of Telangana," he said. The developments apparently put the Congress in an unenviable situation as the alleged contradiction of Kishor joining the party but I-PAC helping TRS emerged.
AICC in charge of party affairs in Telangana and MP Manickam Tagore put out a tweet, apparently referring to the latest developments, saying "never trust someone who is friends with your enemy". "Is it correct?" he asked. Amid speculation that he would join the Congress, Kishor has held talks with KCR at the latter's camp office-cum-official residence here during the last two days, TRS sources said on Sunday.
KCR said in March that Kishor is working with him on bringing a 'parivartan' (change) to the entire country. Both were working together in Telangana also. KCR had described Kishor as his best friend for the last seven-eight years and praised the latter for his commitment to a cause. The TRS chief has been working to bring together various non-BJP parties against the saffron party's alleged anti-people policies and to usher in a "qualitative change" in the country. Describing Kishor as a brand with proven credentials, Congress general secretary Tariq Anwar on Thursday last week said the poll strategist is willing to join the party without any preconditions and his induction would certainly help the grand old organisation.
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