The three regional parties in Andhra Pradesh are corporate entities, says Rahul Gandhi

There is no internal democracy in them, and are largely under dictatorship, unlike the Congress that allows dissent and holds elections in a transparent manner, says the AICC leader

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has termed the three regional parties in Andhra Pradesh — the YSRCP, the TDP, and the JSP — as corporate companies, as “there is no internal democracy in them and are largely under dictatorship.”

When asked whether the Congress would enter into an alliance with the TDP either in Telangana or in Andhra Pradesh as it did in the previous elections, Mr. Rahul Gandhi told the media here on Wednesday that “the State units of the party will decide on the alliances when the time comes.”

On his role in the party, Mr. Rahul Gandhi said, “The newly elected All India Congress Committee (AICC) president will decide it. They do not need my advice to run the party as the incumbent is much experienced.”

“The Congress party is the only political outfit in India that holds elections under the aegis of a transparent internal election committee and allows dissent within the party. Neither the BJP, nor the TDP, nor the YSRCP allows such a process,” he said.

The Congress, on coming to power, would implement the Rayalaseema / North Andhra development package, which had been promised in the A.P. Reorganisation Act, he said.

Referring to the Indian economy, Mr. Gandhi said it “has weakened significantly after imposition of the flawed Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime and demonetisation.”

On the 42nd day of his Bharat Jodo Yatra, Mr. Gandhi said, “The Congress, when it comes to power, will hold widespread discussions with the stakeholders and minimise the GST slab structure to just one instead of the present five.”