Hyderabad: Will TDP, TJS and CPI contest in forthcoming Lok Sabha polls? The answer seems to be no as Congress party doesn’t want its Mahakutami friends to share seats in Lok Sabha seats. Telangana has 17 Parliamentary seats. Congress high-command is asking its alliance partners– Telugu Desam Party (TDP), Telangana Jana Samithi (TJS) and CPI– to give up their plan to contest in Lok Sabha polls to extend total support to the grand-old party. So that, Congress can bag as many Lok Sabha seats as possible enabling it to form the UPA government at the Centre. Congress is confident of winning 6-8 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, if alliance partners don’t contest. Congress party may finalise its Lok Sabha candidates by February 20.

TRS has already chalked out its strategy to sweep all the MP seats except Hyderabad MP to its friendly party AIMIM. Congress high-command and senior leaders have already initiated efforts to convince allies not to contest in polls. “If Congress with the support of Mahakutami alone contests in Lok Sabha elections, the chances of winning more number of seats are brighter. We can give tough fight to TRS. If we win maximum MP seats in TS, then we can unseat Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” said a senior Congress leader.

However, TJS wants to contest in two Lok Sabha seats and TDP is keen on Khammam seat, while CPI is willing to opt for Nalgonda MP seat. Can Congress afford to allocate these four MP seats to alliance partners is a big question, said a political analyst.

Congress senior leaders are optimistic of winning Khammam, Mahabubabad, Bhongir, Chevella and Nalgonda MP seats. AICC meeting is scheduled this week will decide on alliances in several states including Telangana.