Pre-election alliances could be only way for Congress

Striking pre-poll alliances could be the way forward for the Congress to increase its presence in state Assemblies that go to polls in 2016.

Four states—Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam and Puducherry—go to polls next year.

In Tamil Nadu, DMK chief M Karunanidhi has already invited the Congress to join a pre-poll alliance to oust Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, while in West Bengal it has received feelers from the CPM for an electoral tie-up.

“There will be alliances but a final decision on whom to join hands with would be taken by the Congress president,” a senior leader said.

Tamil Nadu Congress president E V K S Elangovan had thanked Karunanidhi for the invite to join the alliance and assured him of conveying the offer to the party high command.

Even in Assam, where Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has been in the saddle since 2001, the Congress is exploring possibilities of reaching an electoral understanding with the AIUDF led by perfume baron Badruddin Ajmal.