Leave election issues to me, KCR tells party leaders

Chief Minister to lead the election campaign in 100 constituencies

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar addressing a meeting in Hyderabad on Friday.

Amidst a hazy picture on the timing of elections in Telangana, Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who was sending strong signals of early polls to State Assembly with various announcements, has asked the TRS ministers, MPs and MLAs to leave the elections issue to him.

“Leave it to me as it is I who will take the call. They will take place whenever they are bound to happen. Do not panic by news reports. They talk about December, April and so on. Leave all that to me,” he is reported to have told a meeting of the parliamentary and legislature parties of TRS and its State executive here on Friday. Mr. Rao left for New Delhi by a special aircraft from Begumpet airport after the meeting.

Before proceeding to the meeting, Mr. Rao issued half-a-dozen orders and transferred the Commissioner of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation who is the election officer of Hyderabad by virtue of his post. On Thursday, the Chief Advisor of Telangana government Rajeev Sharma met Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa in New Delhi.

Sources said Mr. Rao counselled the ministers, MPs and MLAs to be prepared to face polls as they could take place any time. But the party leaders must not panic as he will himself lead the election campaign on their behalf. He said he will round off 100 Assembly constituencies in 50 days as part of the campaign.

Assuring the sitting MLAs that he will not cause harm to any of them by denying ticket to contest polls, Mr. Rao said a situation might arise to replace four or five MLAs but it will be done only after consulting them.

Sources added that Mr. Rao promised to announce the candidates for elections in September end or October first week. It was likely that there was a 10% shortfall in the vote share of TRS as compared to rival parties in 10 constituencies. Otherwise, the TRS was way ahead of rivals in all other constituencies.

In his over one hour address to the meeting which was mainly focussed on mobilisation of crowd for the TRS rally at Kongarkalan near Ibrahimpatan on September 2, Mr. Rao expressed confidence that it would make history with a gathering of 27 lakh people. He asked leaders to hire vehicles from other States if there was shortage to shift crowd. Mr. Rao also visited Kongarkalan in the afternoon to inspect the site.

The meeting authorised Mr. Rao to take any decision as he felt appropriate on the timing of elections.