The 20-point programme chairman N Tulasi Reddy clarified that the Congress party was yet to decide on whether or not to field a candidate in the Banswada by-election.
Talking to reporters here on Saturday, Tulasi Reddy said that the party would take decision at an appropriate time regarding Banswada by-polls. He was apparently trying to counter the Telangana Congress Steering Committee's decision to boycott the Banswada by-polls. With this statement, he tried to clarify that the Steering Committee's decision was not official and the party high command would take its own decision on the issue.
Banswada seat fell vacant after MLA Pocharam Srinivas Reddy quit the TDP to join Telangana Rashtra Samithi. For by-polls Pocharam will be the official candidate of TRS and with the Telangana sentiments running high, it is being assumed that all parties including the TDP, BJP and Congress together would ensure his unanimous election. (INN)
2011/9/6 8:38:21 The Election Commission of India on Tuesday announced election schedule for the by-polls to Banswada assembly constituency in Nizamabad district. Banswada seat fell vacant after Pocharam Sirnivas, a Telugu Desam Party MLA resigned from the party and post to join the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.
According to the notification, the voting for Banswada Assembly constituency will be held on October 13. As per the calendar, the election notification will be issued on September 19. The last date for filing of nomination will be September 26 and withdrawal of nominations is September 29.
The counting of votes will be taken up on October 17. According to sources, Pocharam Srinivas might contest on Telangana Rashtra Samithi ticket this time. (INN)
2011/9/20 8:26:25 Despite clear-cut instructions from the party High Command, the senior leaders in the Congress party are still undecided on whether to contest the Banswada by-election or not.
Differences cropped up between the leaders at a meeting held at the residence of Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Tuesday evening. About 20 leaders from the Nizamabad district who attended the meeting were divided on contesting from the Banswada seat. However, Botsa made it clear that they would have to follow the High Command's instructions.
Botsa asked the district leaders to shortlist the candidates for the Banswada by-polls to be held on October 13. He also asked them to design the election campaign to suit the local needs keeping in view the on-going Telangana agitation. (INN)
2011/9/15 7:51:01 Congress MLAs G Ramana and Lingaiah on Thursday asked the party High Command to reconsider its decision to field a candidate in the Banswada by-elections.
Talking to media persons at Congress Legislature Party office, Ramana said that the Congress had a bad experience in the recently held by-elections in the Telangana. Therefore, the Congress must avoid repeat of last by-polls by not fielding its candidate from the Banswada seat. However, he said the Congress leaders would abide by whatever decision the High Command takes.
Further, Ramana said that the Congress' participation in the Banswada by-polls would send wrong signals in the entire Telangana region. Therefore, all Congress leaders from Telangana region should convince the High Command to reconsider its decision, he said. (INN)
2011/9/26 7:30:42 The Telugu Desam Party Telangana Forum has decided to boycott the Banswada by-elections scheduled to be held on October 13.
The decision was taken in the Forum's meeting held at Telugu Desam Legislature Party office here on Monday. Briefing the media about the decision, Forum's convenor Errabelli Dayakar Rao said all TDP MLAs from Telangana region have unanimously decided to boycott the by-polls until the formation of Telangana State.
Errabelli said that the Forum has sent a letter to both the Congress and TRS requesting them to boycott the by-elections. However, both the parties have failed to respond. "Whoever wins the by-elections will have to again resign for the cause. Therefore, instead of contesting and resigning from the assembly membership, more pressure could be mounted on the Centre if all parties boycott the bye-elections," he said.
It may be mentioned that Banswada seat was won by the Telugu Desam Party in 2009 elections. However, its MLA Pocharam Srinivas Reddy resigned from the party and the post to join the TRS. His resignation has necessitated the by-elections for the seat. For by-elections, Pocharam is the TRS candidate while the Congress party has fielded Srinivas Goud as its candidate. Both of them have already filed their nomination papers. (INN)
2011/9/25 7:50:39 The Telugu Desam Party Telangana Forum on Sunday asked the Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi to boycott the Banswada by-elections to be held on October 13.
In a letter addressed to both the Congress and TRS, Forum's convenor Errabelli Dayakar Rao said that all political parties together can build pressure on the Centre to announce statehood of Telangana by boycotting the by-elections. He demanded that the both the parties withdraw their candidates from the fray.
It may be mentioned that the TRS has fielded Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and the Congress has nominated Srinivas Goud as its candidates for the by-polls and both of them have already filed their nomination papers. The TDP is yet to announce its stand for the by-elections. In 2009, the Banswada assembly seat was won by the TDP. However, its MLA Pocharam Srinivas resigned from the party and the post to join the TRS, necessitating the by-polls.
However, Dayakar Rao said that the TDP would wait for the response from the Congress and TRS on his request till Monday noon and then the party would take a final decision regarding Banswada by-polls. (INN)
Choosing a safe path, the Telangana Congress Steering Committee on Saturday decided not to participate in the by-elections for Banswada assembly seat.
The seat fell vacant after TDP MLA Pocharam Srinivas resigned from the party to join the Telangana Rashtra Samithi. By-polls for Banswada seat are scheduled to be held on October 13 and with Telangana sentiments running high and Pocharam himself deciding to re-contest on TRS ticket, the chances of Congress winning the seat are very sleek. Therefore, instead of contest and consequent humiliation, the Telangana Congress leaders have decided to stay away from the by-polls.
Talking to reporters after the committee's crucial meeting here on Saturday, Congress MP Gutta Sukhender Reddy said that the Congress high command and PCC President Botsa Satyanarayana would be convinced to boycott the Banswada by-polls. However, he said that the decision to stay away from the by-polls was aimed to create constitutional crisis. He said all parties from Telangana should stay from the by-polls to mount pressure on the centre to take an early decision on Telangana formation.
The committee also demanded that the State Government celebrate Hyderabad Liberation Day on September 17 at the official level. The Telangana Congress leaders would organise separate functions at all party offices and the government must organised a State function in the State's capital, Sukhender Reddy demanded.
Sukhender Reddy said that the steering committee in its meeting also demanded a thorough probe into the reports of police atrocities against the students of Kakatiya University in Warangal. "The guilty policemen must be identified and they must be immediately suspended from services. He said criminal cases should also be booked against the police personnel who tortured students," he demanded. However, he also condemned the attack on the residences of Telangana ministers.
The Telangana Congress leaders also extended their support to the general strike from September 13 called by the Telangana Political Joint Action Committee. Sukhender Reddy appeal to all the sections of the society to support participate in the general strike to mount pressure on both the state and central governments to grant statehood for Telangana region.
Regarding Congress MP U Arun Kumar's proposal that Seemandhra leaders would agree for Telangana, if Hyderabad is made a joint capital for both the States, Sukhender Reddy said that the committee would consider the proposal if Hyderabad is made capital for a limited period of 10 to 15 years.
The Telangna Congress Steering Committee also extended its own deadline from September 17 to September 30 given to the Centre to announce its stand on Telangana. (INN)
2011/9/22 8:10:05 PCC president Botsa Satyanrayana expressed hope that the Congress party candidate would win the by-elections for the Banswada assembly seat to be held on October 13.
Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan on Thursday, Botsa announced that Srinivas Goud would be party's candidate for by-polls. Goud had earlier held the post of PCC Secretary and is said to be a close associate of Minister Sudarshan Reddy. He hails from Backward Classes community.
Stating that winning or losing an election was part of the democracy, Botsa said it was more important to participate in the election than thinking about the results. However, he said the party was hopeful of winning the Banswada by-polls.
The PCC President claimed that the Congress party was neither against separate Telangana nor united Andhra Pradesh. He said that the Congress advocates equal development of all regions in the State. He said that the Congress party, the State and Central Governments would soon announce their decision on the demand for statehood for Telangana region. (INN)
2011/9/23 7:43:10 Electoral action has begun in the Banswada assembly seat of Nizamabad district with the nominees of two major political parties filing their nominations on Friday.
Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, who was elected from the constituency in 2009 elections on Telugu Desam Party ticket, filed the first set of his nomination papers on Friday as the candidate of Telangana Rashtra Samithi. In fact, it was his resignation from the TDP and also from the assembly membership that necessitated by-elections for Banswada seat.
Pocharam came in a rally along with TRS MLA T Harish Rao and other supporters to file his nomination papers. However, Pocharam announced that he would file another set of papers on September 26, the last day of filing nomination, at a grand level.
Meanwhile, the Congress candidate Srinivas Goud too filed his nomination papers for the Banswada seat. However, apparently due to on-going Telagnana agitation, the security personnel outnumbered his supporters when he filed the nomination papers. Fearing trouble from the Telangana activists, he was given elaborate police security and he came in an escort to file his papers.
The Telugu Desam Party is yet to announce its decision on whether or not to contest the Banswada by-polls. (INN)
The TDP will not contest the Banswada by election. This was stated by the Telangana TDP leader Dayakar Rao. He said that even if the party wins the by poll the MLA will have to resign any way for the cause of separate Telangana! Clever thinking indeed - escaping from what could have been a sure defeat.
2011/9/19 9:07:33 The Election Commission of India on Monday issued notification for the conduct of by-elections for the Banswada assembly seat in Nizamabad district.
According to ECI notification, the nomination will be received on September 26 while their scrutiny will be held on Sept 28. The last date for withdrawal of nomination will be Sept 29. Polling for the assembly seat will be held on October 13 and the counting of votes will take place on October 17.
The Banswada seat fell vacant after the TDP MLA Pocharam Srinivas resigned to his post to join the Telangana Rashtra Samithi. (INN)
2011/9/15 4:34:26 At least 30 passengers suffered minor injuries when the RTC bus they were travelling in turned turtle near Borlam in Nizamabad district here on Thursday.
According to report, the bus carrying mostly students overturned near Krishna Nagar tanda in Banswada mandal. About 65 passengers were on board when the accident happened. The local police say that the accident happened when the bus heading to Banswada from Hanumanjipeta. The bus driver took a sudden turn in order to save a speeding car coming from the opposite direction.
Fortunately, all the passengers survived the accident with minor injuries. The injured passengers were rushed to Banswada Government hospital where they were treated as out-patients. (INN)
2011/12/12 14:30:23 The Telangana Rashtra Samithi has given clear indications that it would nominate former MLAs who joined from the other parties as its official candidates for the by-elections.
TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday appointed four former MLAs as the in-charge of constituencies that they represented earlier. While Jogu Ramana was made incharge of Adilabad assembly seat, Gampa Goverdhan will be incharge for Kamareddy, Jupally Krishna Rao for Kollahpur and T Rajaiah for Station Ghanpur constituency.
These MLAs have recently resigned from the TDP and Congress to join the TRS. They have also resigned from the assembly membership which necessitated by-polls in these constituencies.
It may be mentioned that the TRS nominated Pocharam Srinivas Reddy from the Banswada assembly seat in the by-election which he earlier represented as TDP MLA. He got elected from the seat in the by-elections held in October this year. (INN)
2012/2/18 6:56:50 To the surprise of many, the Congress on Saturday came out with the list of its candidates for Mahabunbnagar, Nagarkurnool and Kollapur Assembly constituencies for which the by-elections are scheduled to be held on March 18.
Talking to media persons after emerging out of meeting with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy at his camp Office over the selection of aspirants list, Information Minister D K Aruna and Information Technology Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah said that the party has tentatively decided to field Vijaya Lakshmi from Mahbubnagar, Damodar Reddy from Nagarkurnool and Vishnuvardhan Reddy from Kollapur constituency.
However, the ministers said that the candidates' list would be finalised on Sunday after the getting the high command's nod.
Vijaya Lakshmi is the widow of Rajeswar Reddy, the independent MLA and Congress supporter, whose death due to heart attack necessitated the by-polls.
The other seats fell vacant after Nagam Janardhan Reddy of TDP and Jupally Krishna Rao from Congress resigned from their parties and posts for the cause of Telangana State. (INN)
2011/10/17 3:30:00 Accepting defeat in the Banswada by-elections, Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana said that the winning or losing elections were part and parcel of electoral politics.
Talking to reporters at Gandhi Bhavan on Monday, Botsa expressed satisfaction over party candidate Srinivas Goud securing over 30,000 votes in the Banswada by-elections. He denied the allegations that it had a secret pact with the Telugu Desam Party for the by-elections. He said that the TDP was in such a bad situation that it did not even field its candidates. "The TDP will not be able to contest elections in the region in future," he said.
Commenting on the controversy over Labour Minister Danam Nagender attacking a dalit youth in Hyderabad on Sunday, the PCC president said that the attack might have been in self-defence. However, he condemned the throwing of eggs on minister's vehicle and also the attack on dalit youth allegedly by the minister and his men. He said the controversy could have been avoided.
Renewing his appeal, Botsa asked all the employees' unions to withdrawal the strike in view of inconvenience being cause to the general public. He hailed the decision of RTC Employees' JAC of withdrawing from the general strike.
Reacting to the allegations that the State Government has been foisting false cases against the Telangana activists and leaders, he said that the government never tried to use coercive means to end the strike. He also refuted reports that cases have been booked against some Congress MPs due to political reasons. "Party and government are two separate things. All the cases were booked by the police in accordance with the law and the Congress party did not play any role," he clarified. (INN)
2011/10/16 22:48:06 The by-election results of Banswada have just come. As predicted by one and all, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy who few months back migrated from TDP to TRS has won the Bansuwada by-elections with 49,889 votes majority over his rival Congress candidate Srinivasa Goud.
Pocharam got total 83,245 votes and Srinivas Goud got 33,356 votes.
2011/9/12 7:42:02 Congress MP from Nizamabad Madhu Yaskhi Goud on Monday announced that he would quit the Congress party if it fails to give a positive assurance on the formation of Telangana state.
Talking to reporters, Madhu Yaskhi said that although he was confident that Congress party would take a decision favourable to Telangana, but, in case it fails, then would resign from both the party's primary membership and the MP's post. He was also critical about the on-going Telangana agitation and said that the movement has lost its direction. "Present movement is absolutely party-centric and not aimed towards the Telangana cause," he said indirectly referring to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.
The Congress MP said that the general strike call was timed inappropriately. "The agitation is not well planned and therefore, it might lose its intensity," he said adding that such a decision should have been taken unanimously by all parties and groups associated with the Telangana movement. He said all the pro-Telangana groups should unite to launch a massive non-cooperation movement. He said that even the Telangana Congress Steering Committee has gone off the track and the decision taken during the meetings were not being implemented.
Regarding Banswada by-elections, Madhu Yakshi said that all parties should boycott the polls till the formation of Telangana state. He said he has already briefed the PCC President Botsa Satyanarayana and the Chief Miniter N Kiran Kumar Reddy about his views on Banswada by-polls and hoped that his suggestion would be honoured.
The Nizambad MP criticised the YSR Congress president Jagan Mohan Reddy for allegedly using unparliamentary words against the Congress MPs. In a lighter vain, he said if the Congress MPs were eating grass, then he was eating the coal from the mines of Obalapuram. Stating that Jagan has lost his mental balance, he advised him to keep control on his words. (INN)
2008/4/20 9:45:18 A section of the congress party wants to field cine stars from some constituencies for the ensuing by polls. The names of Sri Hari, Jaya Sudha, Jeevitha and Venu Madhav are being heard very prominently in this regard.
Sri Hari's name is being considered to contest from the Musheeraad or Secunderabad constituency. Jaya Sudha's name was also floated but she is reported to have declined to contest the elections. The name of Jeevitha Rajashekaer is also doing the rounds to contest from Musheerabad constituency.
The name of Venu Madhav has also cropped up suddenly today. The popular comedians name is being considered for the Kalmalapuram constituency in Karimnagar district.
2011/9/29 5:26:08 Several TDP MLAs from Telangana region were injured when they clashed with the police after they were prevented from entering the Banswada assembly constituency here on Thursday.
The clash took place near Basvapur of Bikanoor mandal. All 32 members TDP MLAs from the region, who submitted their resignations from the posts on Wednesday, took up bus yatra for Banswada assembly constituency where by-elections are scheduled to be held on October 13. They were demanding that all parties boycott the by-polls till the formation of Telangana.
However, the police stopped the bus-yatra midway and did not allow MLAs to enter the constituency citing law and order problem. The MLAs along with their supporters protested and staged a sit-in-dharna on Ramalayampeta highway blocking the traffic. The Forum members had a heated argument with the police.
Later, when the Forum members attempted to took out padayatra from the highway, the police arrested all the members and shifted them to Ramalayampeta police station. However, the MLAs have alleged that they were beaten up by the police personnel. TDP Telangana Forum convenor Errabelli Dayakar Rao almost fell unconscious. Besides condemning the police action, the Forum members also raised slogans against Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao.
Earlier, the Telangana activists stoned the bus carrying TDP MLAs when it was on the way to Banswada constituency. A police inspector sustained head injuries while trying to save the MLAs from stone pelting. The police arrested a few Telangana activists.
Later, talking to reporters Dayakar Rao condemned the police action. He said that the TDP MLAs have taken up the bus yatra to appeal for boycott of by-elections in Banswada. He asked Pocharam Srinivas not to contest the elections and honour his promise of boycoting elections till formation of separate state. Only by creating constitutional crisis in the region, the separate Telangana state can be achieved, he stated.
Errabelli said that the Forum has no objection for keeping Hyderabad as common capital for Seemandhra and Telangana for five years. He said that the Forum would not cow down to imposition of President’s rule in the state and continue its statehood agitation.
MLA Motkupalli Narasimhulu alleged that TRS chief KCR, in the name of by-elections, was making efforts to increase his strength in the region. (INN)
2011/9/14 7:48:24 Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Wednesday announced that the Congress party would field its candidate in the by-elections for Banswada assembly constituency by-elections to be held on October 13.
Talking to media persons at Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, Botsa said that party high command would select the candidate from the list of shortlisted probables. Stating that victory or losses are common in elections, he said that the party has decided to contest the elections as per its ideology and principles.
When reporters asked about the agenda on which the party would contest the by-election, he asked them to wait and watch for it.
The PCC President appealed to Telangana employees to call off the general strike as it would be causing lot of inconvenience to people of the region. Stating that the Congress high command was making efforts to address the Telangana issue, he expressed confidence that a solution would be found soon.
Admitting that the Centre identified the need to take an early decision on Telangana statehood issue, he said that the party would respect the sentiments of Telangana people. He said that state in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad was holding consultations with Seemandhra and Telangana leaders to bring consensus on the issue.
Botsa said that he had discussed about filling up of nominated posts, reorganization of PCC and District congress Committees with state in-charge Ghulam Nabi Azad. He said that Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was also making efforts to fill nominated posts with senior and loyal leaders. He said the party would give equal opportunity for all in the reorganizing process. (INN)
2012/3/10 6:50:05 The YSR Congress party on Saturday said that the ruling Congress and main opposition TDP leaders were hit by Jagan-phobia ahead of the by-elections in the State.
Describing both the parties as sinking boats, YSR Congress party spokesperson Gattu Ramachandra Rao said that the parties were jittery ahead of by-polls as their base was eroding fast. “Chief Minister and Congress president failed to draw crowds and had to bring in recording dancers to hold the public while TDP is spending more on liquor at Kovur,” he alleged.
Talking to reporters here Gattu said that on International Women’s Day there were dances that belittle the dignity of women at a platform where Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy was to speak and he did not even convey his apology to the women for the goof-up. Being an import, he has lost contact with people, he said.
Ramchandra Rao also demanded a white paper on the welfare schemes it has taken up along with the ones implemented during the YSR's term.
The results of March 18 by-polls will reflect on the ensuing elections to 17 assembly seats which will set the pace for the 2014 battle, he said adding that the principal parties will be vying only for the second spot all through. (INN)
The 20-point programme chairman N Tulasi Reddy clarified that the Congress party was yet to decide on whether or not to field a candidate in the Banswada by-election.
Despite clear-cut instructions from the party High Command, the senior leaders in the Congress party are still undecided on whether to contest the Banswada by-election or not.
The Telugu Desam Party Telangana Forum has decided to boycott the Banswada by-elections scheduled to be held on October 13.
The Telugu Desam Party Telangana Forum on Sunday asked the Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi to boycott the Banswada by-elections to be held on October 13.
PCC president Botsa Satyanrayana expressed hope that the Congress party candidate would win the by-elections for the Banswada assembly seat to be held on October 13.
Electoral action has begun in the Banswada assembly seat of Nizamabad district with the nominees of two major political parties filing their nominations on Friday.
At least 30 passengers suffered minor injuries when the RTC bus they were travelling in turned turtle near Borlam in Nizamabad district here on Thursday.
The Telangana Rashtra Samithi has given clear indications that it would nominate former MLAs who joined from the other parties as its official candidates for the by-elections.
Accepting defeat in the Banswada by-elections, Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana said that the winning or losing elections were part and parcel of electoral politics.
The by-election results of Banswada have just come. As predicted by one and all, Pocharam Srinivas Reddy who few months back migrated from TDP to TRS has won the Bansuwada by-elections with 49,889 votes majority over his rival Congress candidate Srinivasa Goud. 
Congress MP from Nizamabad Madhu Yaskhi Goud on Monday announced that he would quit the Congress party if it fails to give a positive assurance on the formation of Telangana state.
Pradesh Congress Committee president Botsa Satyanarayana on Wednesday announced that the Congress party would field its candidate in the by-elections for Banswada assembly constituency by-elections to be held on October 13.
The YSR Congress party on Saturday said that the ruling Congress and main opposition TDP leaders were hit by Jagan-phobia ahead of the by-elections in the State.
