TDP to stay away from Palair by-election

With the Telangana units of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) deciding to keep off the by-election to Palair Assembly constituency on May 16, there will be virtually a straight contest between the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and the main Opposition Congress.

The by-election to Palair segment was necessitated following the death of sitting Congress MLA Ramreddy Venkata Reddy. The Congress has decided to field the deceased MLA’s wife Sucharita Reddy as its nominee. It may be mentioned here that the Congress leaders who were keen on retaining Palair seat at any cost, approached the TDP and sought its help in the by-election. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TCPP) president Uttam Kumar Reddy and working president Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka urged the TDP to extend its support to the Congress



nominee. The Congress had also written a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu seeking his help. TDP state president L Ramana said the party would support Congress candidate Sucharita Reddy in the by-election.

The ruling TRS has chosen Roads & Buildings Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao as its candidate. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s son and State IT & Panchayat Raj Minister K T Rama Rao has been appointed as party in-charge for the election.

The Congress has appealed to all political parties to let Venkata Reddy’s wife get elected unopposed as per the traditions in undivided Andhra Pradesh and also in view of the departed leader’s clean image. Heeding to the request, the YSRCP and the TDP have announced their decision not to field their candidates.