Cong rules out alliance with any party in Andhra Pradesh

"Congress Party alliance is only with the people of

Andhra Pradesh." Oommen Chandy

The Congress keeps talking of forming a united front of all opposition parties to oust Narendra Modi in the next Lok Sabha elections, but it slips in its idea of the opposition unity when discussing the specifics, the latest being Andhra Pradesh where it declared not to have alliance with any party.

Asked about whom the Congress will befriend, Telugu Desam Party of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu or YSR Congress of Jagan Mohan Reddy, pat came reply of Oommen Chandy, AICC general secretary incharge of Andhra Pradesh affairs: "Congress Party alliance is only with the people of Andhra Pradesh."

He was addressing a Press conference after a meeting of leaders from Andhra Pradesh addressed by Congress President Rahul Gandhi here on Wednesday. He said a 4-month long action plan has been drawn for reorganisation of the party in the state from the Pradesh Congress Committee to the booth level and he would spend a day each in all 13 districts of the state to discuss formation of panels at the constituency and mandal level.

Chandy said Rahul told the assembled leaders that if UPA came to power at the Centre, the special status will be given to Andhra Pradesh and the file will be signed on the very first day. Rahul said this was categorical assurance of then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh which was not honoured by Modi government.

Chandy quoted Rahul saying: "This is cheating to the people of Andhra Pradesh by BJP. TDP was part of the NDA alliance but nothing happened. Now they are opposing BJP but what happened for three and half years? Both cheated the people of Andhra Pradesh. Jagan's party also did not do anything."