TDP's decision to contest by-polls by weekend

With the chief  Election Commissioner sounding that  the notification for the  by-polls  to the 12  segments  in Telangana  region  would be  announced  soon,  the political parties  in the state are gearing up for the   polls.  On Thursday , the  Telugu Desam Party  said  that  it would contest the 12 Assembly seats in the Telangana region where by-elections are due.

Many of the  leaders in the Tdp are in favour of contesting the by-elections , only a couple of them are against it.  Any  way I will be  holding  another  round of talks with the lower rung of the party leaders so that I can know their pulse, observed Tdp chief  Chandrababu Naidu.

By weekend the final decision will be made known the party sources said.  Almost the same situation prevails in Congress party  too.  A section of the Congress leaders from Telangana like CWC members G Venkata Swamy and K Keshava Rao are opposed to the party contesting the by-elections as it would be detrimental to the party's interests.

However,  the party High Command brushed  aside their opinion and  have decided to jump into the fray.With  Congress contesting the polls, the  opposition party Tdp does not like to let go the opportunity to  show their  strength.`` Barring one senior leader Kadiyam Srihari, others have favoured contesting the by-elections,’’ the Tdp sources said.

The  by-elections are likely to be held for the 12 Assembly seats in Telangana region next month as the process has to be completed before August.   

The by-elections have been necessitated due to the resignation of ten Telangana Rashtra Samiti MLAs and one MLA each from  Tdp and BJP over the separate statehood issue. The Tdp MLA Ch Ramesh,  who resigned from his post, subsequently quit the party and joined the TRS.