The Congress is sure of winning 120 seats and can win another 50 by fighting hard, according to a strategy plan developed by the Chief Minister’s camp. According to sources, the 294 Assembly seats have been divided into three gro-ups. According to this list the Congress will definitely win 126 seats in Category ‘A’. It can win 50 out of 78 seats in ‘B’ category if it makes an all-out effort.
If this count holds, the Congress will win about 175 seats, or past the half-way mark of 148. Category ‘C’ contains 90 seats which the party is not sure of winning. The party will concentrate its energies on ’A’ and ‘B’ Category seats.
The traditional pro-Congr-ess vote, presence of strong candidates and strength of the cadre mark the ‘A’ seats. The government’s welfare programmes, and the split in the opposition vote are other criteria for earmarking these seats as sure-wins.
The B-category will see triangular contests between the Congress, the Grand Alliance and the Praja Rajyam. “This category needs special attention,” the source said. “We have to gear up all our energies and we are going to do that.”
