Congress wooing back MIM

HYDERABAD: 

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi's (TRS) overtures towards BJP has left other parties to work on new alliances with the GHMC elections expected to be held sometime soon.
The MIM, seen to be a close ally of TRS, is now weighing options including joining hands with its old alliance partner, Congress. According to sources, Congress party's Greater Hyderabad president Danam Nagender was already in touch with MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi.

The MIM leaders, however, said as a principle, their party would have no pre-poll alliance with any party and they were watching the developments in view of the ensuing GHMC elections. "The speculations are rife, but we are in a wait-and-watch mode," said senior MIM leader and MLC Syed Amin Jafri. While declining to confirm the Congress leaders' discussions with Owaisi, Jafri said this was not the right time to talk about political equations.

Congress leaders said his party saw an advantage for it with reports of TRS-BJP tieup. The development would help in consolidation of minority votes in Congress' favour and the combination of Congress and MIM would be formidable as it had won the last GHMC polls. "The minority votes, which form over 40 per cent, play a key role in the GHMC elections. It would be an interesting proposition if the TRS really joins hands with the BJP ," said the Congress leader, adding, "the MIM must make up its mind now and help us to keep the TRS at bay."

Former Congress MLA from Sanathnagar said the TRS had shown its true colours and the development has only exposed how opportunistic that the ruling party could be. "The minorities will now know the Congress is the only party that can stand for them.While the TDP is already into the alliance with the BJP , TRS showed its intent to join hands with the communal forces. The Congress will never compromise with its secular credentials," said Shashidhar Reddy , who is likely to seek re-election from Sanathnagar as the incumbent MLA from TDP Talasani Srinivas Yadav resigned before CM K Chandrasekhar Rao inducted him into his cabinet last year.

On possible alliance with the MIM, Shashidhar Said, "Now that is it is clear who is for secular values and who is not. It is up to the MIM to take the call and chose its ally."