The result of the by-elections to 12 Assembly constituencies would be the report of Telangana people to the Srikrishna Committee, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao said here on Tuesday. It was the responsibility of the region's people to ensure a huge win for candidates who were re-contesting the seats after quitting, he said.
Speaking at a meeting of the party in-charges for Assembly constituencies and convenors, he cautioned them that the by-election results would hold the key to the Telangana movement and the party's future. “The bypolls will be a test for Telangana people to show their commitment to the cause,” he said.
Mr. Rao claimed that the people had placed their hopes on the TRS for achieving statehood for Telangana as it was the only party that was committed to the cause. Other parties would own up the Telangana slogan only during elections and dump it after the polls. They had been deceiving people for long and it was time people realised this.
The party had recently appointed in-charges for 80-90 constituencies and appointments for the remaining constituencies would be completed soon. They would take up membership drive from May 15 to 31. He would visit the districts from May 20 to 30 and take up ‘palle bata' from June 3 to 11 in the constituencies going to the by-elections. The TRS president said it was creating confusion among people with its leaders making contrasting statements. He offered not to contest the bypolls and quit the two Parliament seats held by the party if the Congress leaders convinced Sonia Gandhi to introduce a bill on Telangana.
