Ahead of the crucial Lok Sabha elections, a Congress leader has advocated for an alliance between the grand old party and Assaduddin Owaisi's All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) in Telangana. Mohammed Feroz Khan, the party's general secretary, said the Congress' only agenda is to wipe out KCR's Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) from the southern state, and if for that he has to "befriend" Owaisi, he will do it.
"It's my personal statement, considering whatever is happening around us, that we should join hands with the AIMIM to achieve our mission of eliminating the BRS," Feroz Khan said while speaking to India Today TV's sister channel Aaj Tak. He, however, clarified that no official direction on an alliance with the AIMIM had come from the Congress high command.
"If orders come from the high command to extend support to the AIMIM, I will oblige as a disciplined worker....I will keep fighting until free and fair elections are held...I am a dedicated worker and a fighter, and committed to the Congress party. If the party asks to keep enmity aside, then I will do that. I will work to strengthen Congress and (Chief Minister) Revanth Reddy in Telangana. This is what I stand for," Telangana Congress general secretary told Aaj Tak.
Notably, Feroz Khan unsuccessfully contested from the Hyderabad constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections against Owaisi. In 2019, KCR's party had bagged the highest 9 of 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, while four seats went to the BJP. The Congress had bagged 3, while AIMIM won 1.
This time, the BJP has fielded K Madhavi Latha to take on Owaisi.
Telangana is expected to witness a three-way fight, with BJP, Congress, and BRS in the fray. The BRS lost the state in assembly elections to the Congress in November last year. Building on the spectacular win, Congress is keen to repeat the good show while BRS which ruled the state for 10 years and now suffering defections, is striving hard to reverse its fortunes.
The BJP, energised by its better poll show -- in terms of seats and vote share in 2023 state elections, is eager to make more electoral inroads. The Lok Sabha election is crucial for all the three parties, especially BRS which is facing an existential crisis of sorts following its unexpected defeat in the Assembly elections. The election is also significant for Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy as Congress needs to retain the momentum following its victory in the Assembly polls.
(With inputs from Abdul Basheer)