There appears to be a growing feeling among a section of Telangana Congress leaders that the party should keep away from the by-elections to 12 Assembly seats, which fell vacant following resignations by the incumbent legislators.
Although several party leaders expressed this view in their individual capacity, a meeting of Telangana seniors here on Sunday discussed at length the perceived disadvantages of entering the fray. They felt that the party would face the anger of the people as their sympathies lay with the MLAs who sacrificed their seats for the case of statehood for Telangana.
Meeting takes stock
The meeting, which was held at former Speaker K. R. Suresh Reddy's residence was attended by CWC member K. Keshava Rao, former Minister K. Jana Reddy, Telangana Regional Congress Coordination Committee convenor G. Chinna Reddy, former APCC chief P. Narsa Reddy, legislators K. Yadava Reddy and K.R. Amos and senior leaders Palvai Goverdhan Reddy and B. Kamalakar Rao.
They plan to approach the central leadership at an appropriate time and explain the prevailing mood among the people, a senior leader, who attended the meeting told The Hindu . It is understood that the prospects of APCC president D. Srinivas if he contests the by-election was discussed.
The meeting also discussed the issues that need to be raised before Justice Srikrishna Committee at its next sitting on May 6 and 7 in Hyderabad.
Warm welcome to DS
Nizamabad Staff Reporter writes: Apparently as part of its preparations to contest the byelection from Nizamabad Assembly constituency, the Congress displayed its strength by according a warm welcome to the PCC president D. Srinivas when he came to the district headquarter town after a gap of five months.
Mr. Srinivas was received by party workers in a large convoy of vehicles right from Baswapur in the district. He entered the town escorted by a large number of party workers and leaders, members of Youth Congress and the National Students Union of India.
Earlier replying to a question, the PCC chief said he would contest the by-election if he was directed by the party high command to do so. “I have left it to our leader Sonia Gandhi and party high command,” he added.
The police, meanwhile, made elaborate security arrangements for Mr. Srinivas's visit in view of the volatile political situation prevailing in the wake of the agitation for the demand for bifurcation of the State and demonstrations by pro-Telangana activists demanding the resignations of elected representatives.
