TRS win a referendum on separate state

(Courtesy : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/TRS-win-a-referendum-on-separate-state-KCR/articleshow/6239116.cms)

Calling the sweeping victory of TRS candidates in the by elections as a victory of Telangana martyrs who died during the agitation for separate T state and four crore Telangana people, the TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao said that the party dedicates its victory to all those people who supported them in the byelections and thanked the JAC for playing a key role in the victory of the party candidates.

At a press conference on Friday evening, Rao said that the party leaders should not feel elated by the victory. It has put greater responsibility on them. The victory was a step forward in the direction of achieving a separate state, he said.

Referring to the defeat of Congress and TDP candidates, he said it was a slap on their face. They lost their deposits despite spending Rs 200 crore, he said. Rao also criticised TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu of indulging in 'screw driver' politics. KCR said he would now focus attention on strengthening the party organisation. Rao said the Centre should call for the Srikrishna committee report immediately and bifurcate the state respecting the verdict of the people before December 31. "It is nothing but a referendum. If they fail they will heavy price in future." Talking of the party's support to BJP in Nizamabad urban, he said it was a special case but in future we will fight all election on our own, he added.

He said the Telangana JAC, which has a strong presence in the region, played an active role in the victory of the TRS by mobilising the government employees, lawyers associations, minorities and student organisations to rally for the separate state cause and vote for the TRS on polling day.

The JAC fulfilled its promise of taking the responsibility of victory of MLAs who had resigned in February in protest against the constitution of Srikrishna Committee to study the contentious Telangana issue.

The joint action committee organised massive awareness programmes like bus yatras, padayatras and village-level meetings to educate people about the importance of ensuring the victory of MLAs who had resigned. In fact it is the victory of the JAC more than the TRS, claim JAC leaders.

More than 20 lakh students, 3 lakh government employees and one lakh advocates actively participated in the campaign during the bypolls, JAC official spokesperson Vittal told TOI. "JAC played a crucial role in the election by galvanising all telangana forces from grass root level.

Another JAC leader said that all out efforts were made in three assembly constituencies - Dharmapuri, Ellareddy and Sirpur from where TRS MLAs contested as there was strong anti feelings against the candidates as they allegedly ignored the people and failed to respond to their local problems and pleas since they got elected in 2009.

The JAC organised continuous meetings with local community leaders and telangana supporters and explained to them about the necessity to vote for them in view of the special circumstances.

TRS set for clean sweep in by-elections

(Courtesy : http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/andhra-pradesh/article541829.ece)

Riding high on a strong regional sentiment, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), and its lone electoral ally, the BJP, headed for a clean sweep of all the 12 seats in the Assembly by-elections on Friday and inflicted crushing defeats on the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Results were officially declared in seven constituencies but, going by their surging majorities, TRS candidates are firmly on course to win the remaining five.

The BJP won the only seat it contested when Y. Lakshminarayana, justified his ‘giant-killer' sobriquet by defeating for the second consecutive time APCC president D. Srinivas from Nizamabad Urban by a comfortable margin of 11,983 votes. TDP candidate A. Narsa Reddy was routed polling just 1,793 votes.

Till late in the night, the election authorities could declare the results of only those seats where electronic voting machines (EVMs) were used. Counting in the rest was a painstaking process as the Election Commission was forced to use newspaper-sized ballot papers after the TRS fielded dozens of candidates as independents to express its opposition to EVMs.

Voters comprehensively rejected the TDP which failed to poll even one-sixth of the valid votes needed to retain the security deposit in at least seven constituencies whereas the Congress candidates lost their deposits in two places. Both parties tried to draw solace by saying that TRS candidates had merely retained the Assembly seats they won in May 2009. These MLAs had resigned in February this year to protest against the terms of reference of the Justice Srikrishna Committee constituted to hold consultations on the situation in Andhra Pradesh.

Chief Minister K. Rosaiah and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu did not campaign in the by-elections, the latter on the plea that he was preoccupied with the more important issue of opposing the ‘illegal' Babli project built by Maharashtra. In contrast, TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao steadfastly focussed on electioneering without allowing himself to be distracted by the Babli row even though it threatens to adversely affect five districts in Telangana.