Congress opts not to enter RS poll fray: VH

Hyderabad: The Telangana Congress leaders have decided not to field its senior leader V Hanumantha Rao in Rajya Sabha elections.

Speaking to the media here on Saturday, V. Hanumantha Rao said the Congress leaders had extended support to TRS candidate Dr K Keshav Rao when the latter contested for Rajya Sabha seat earlier. The State Congress naturally expected that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would extend support to Congress candidate. But the TRS fielded two candidates – D Srinivas and Captain Lakshminatha Rao – for two Rajya Sabha seats leaving no chance to the Congress, VH said, adding that he withdrew his idea of contesting in Rajya Sabha election.

Describing party defections as a heinous trend, Hanumantha Rao said TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and CLP leader K Jana Reddy thought that the Rajya Sabha election would be unanimous. Jana Reddy said the TPCC would submit a report on Congress defeat in Palair by-election to AICC Chief Sonia Gandhi. He said the Congress party doesn’t want to pollute politics by fielding V Hanumantha Rao in the Rajya Sabha election fray.

Leader of the Opposition in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir said his party will celebrate Telangana State Formation Day as a day to extend thanks to Sonia Gandhi. He also said the party leaders would hoist national flag on June 2 in all the districts across the State. (NSS)