Shankar Rao justifies action against rebel MLAs

Handlooms and Textiles Minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Friday stated that the Congress leaders in the state should not oppose the decision taken by the Congress High Command of taking action against the 16 rebel MLAs who defied the party whip during the No Confidence Motion.

Talking to media persons at the Congress Legislature Party Office, Shankar Rao claimed that the Congress party was capable of winning the by-elections. He condemned the media reports which stated that the Congress was weak to fight the YSR Congress party in the constituencies which might go for by-polls. He expressed confidence that the Congress party would win all the constituencies with huge margins.

The Congress party would go to polls on the plank of Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s leadership skills and the welfare schemes launched by the government for the benefit of poor and middle class, he stated.

However, he said it would be too premature to talk about the by-elections as the decision of disqualification of MLAs was still pending with Speaker Nadendla Manohar.