Focus on ties at CWC meet today

With the Pranab Mukherjee committee asking to firm up alliances before the end of January, tomorrow’s Congress Working Committee meeting is expected to take stock of dialogue with potential partners like the DMK, RJD, BSP, NCP and others.
Apart from possible early general elections, the Congress is also preparing for early Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh. According to party sources, the state units in Maharastra and Karnataka have been asked to be prepared for simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. The party is looking at the Left parties and the Telengana Rashtra Samiti for a possible tie-up in Andhra Pradesh, and with the NCP in Maharashtra. The focus of the meeting will, however, be on the recommendations of the Pranab Mukherjee committee that has suggested to cement alliances by the end of January.
Congress already has two deadlines before it: BSP chief Mayawati has said she will make her stand clear only after a party meeting on January 16, while NCP chief Sharad Pawar has asked the Congress to wait till January 25. At tomorrow’s meeting, the Congress is expected to hold discussions on the state of affairs in UP, where it is giving outside support to Mulayam government.