Will Congress Help The TDP In 2019 Polls

What's the real story behind the sudden activity in the Congress party in Andhra Pradesh? Is there a secret agenda in this sudden political activity in the moribund Congress? Is it meant to help its new-found ally, the Telugu Desam Party? Will it divide the votes and enable the TDP to come back to power?

The answer, according to those in the know of the things, is - yes!!

After four years of deep slumber, the party has suddenly woken up. It is working hard to bring back all those who left the Congress due to the bifurcation of the state. It's walking the extra mile to placate inactive leaders and is trying to reactivate them.

The momentum suddenly picked pace after Congress veteran T Subbarami Reddy went over to N Kiran Kumar Reddy, the last chief minister of the undivided Andhra Pradesh. Kiran, who was sulking at the way the state was divided, formed Jai Samaikyandhra Party. The party came a cropper in 2014 elections since then Kiran Kumar Reddy was in hibernation. Sometime ago, there was a talk that he would join the BJP, but a senior BJP leader, who is now occupying a high constitutional position, has scuttled the move. The Congress is also wooing former MP G Harsha Kumar and other leaders who left the party.  Recently, Rahul Gandhi too called the Congress leaders from Andhra Pradesh for a meeting.

But it is clear as a crystal that the people of Andhra Pradesh have rejected the Congress lock stock and barrel. So, what will this sudden activism achieve? It is almost certain that the Congress will not win even a single seat. Yet, it might increase its vote share and could play spoiler in at least 10 seats. It is also certain that it will eat into the YSRCP votes. This will hit the YSRCP, which of late, is showing a surge in public support and sympathy.

Why would the Congress help the TDP? In the wake of the strong rumours of a possible YSRCP-BJP understanding in 2019 elections, the TDP is fighting with its back to the wall. It needs to divide the anti-TDP votes. The Congress could help the TDP because of Chandrababu Naidu's new-found enmity with the BJP. Though the Congress might not win even a single seat, it could still help the TDP. This secret understanding could help the Congress in the event of the BJP not getting the absolute majority. The TDP might extend outside support to the Congress or to a third front candidate.

Remember Chandrababu and Rahul Gandhi met at Bengaluru during Kumaraswami's swearing in. This is the first time the Congress and TDP chiefs have come together. So, the plan may have been set in motion soon after this meet. This appears to be the gameplan of the Congress now!! So, the Congress activism could be a strategy to help the TDP to defeat the BJP designs in 2019.