Congress ties up with TDP, CPI in Telangana. Let's take a look at the party's history of alliances

Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi and Robert Vadra

Telangana is heading towards its assembly elections and the Congress has set its eyes to win the power to rule the state. Kicking off its effort, the party has planned to form a grand alliance with other opposition parties in the state — the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Communist Party of India (CPI).

The leaders of the three parties reportedly met on September 11 and discussed the alliance. This is the first time the TDP will be joining hands with the Congress. The CPI has allied with both the parties in the past.

The objective behind the alliance is said to be a part of the Congress’ effort to forge opposition unity at the national level and use it to knock out Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next Lok Sabha election, scheduled to be held in 2019.

How the decision to form this alliance plays out can only be seen after the election results are out. Meanwhile, let's take a look at major alliances formed by the party in previous elections and their subsequent outcome:

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Polls, 2017

In the run-up to the assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress and the then ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) had sealed a poll alliance. The move was expected to consolidate the Muslim vote that would have a bearing on at least 100 of the 403 assembly seats.

The SP contested on 298 seats and the Congress on the remaining 105. However, the result shattered the allied parties — only 54 candidates, 47 of the SP and just seven from the Congress, managed to win the polls.

The SP lost power to BJP in the state and Yogi Adityanath became the chief minister.

Tamil Nadu Assembly Polls, 2016

In case of Tamil Nadu, the Congress has a long history of alliance with Dravida Munetra Kazagham (DMK). They first forged an alliance in 1971 and went on to contest several assembly and parliamentary polls together.

The alliance last tasted victory in the 2006 assembly polls. In the next two consecutive state elections — 2011 and 2016 — the alliance lost to J Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK.

In 2016, the DMK performed fairly by winning almost half the seats it contested from, but it lost the election as its allies could not perform well, including the Congress who managed to win just eight out of the 41 seats it contested from.

Bihar Assembly Polls, 2015

Displaying a picture of unity, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress announced formation of a grand secular alliance and seat-sharing for the Bihar assembly elections.

Although the alliance managed to win the polls and form the government under the leadership of Nitish Kumar, it could not complete the five-year tenure.

In 2017, the grand alliance broke down and a new coalition government between JD(U) and the BJP was formed under Kumar.