The Hindu : KCR mulls Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

KCR mulls Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat

By N. Rahul

HYDERABAD, MARCH 8. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) president, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, has sounded himself as likely candidate for the Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat and the former Vice-Chancellor of Kakatiya University, K. Jayashankar, for the Hanamkonda Lok Sabha seat.

Mr. Rao has also hinted at the former Forest Minister, K. Surendar Reddy, taking on the Home Minister, T. Devender Goud, in Medchal. Mr. Rao has been toying with the idea of contesting the Lok Sabha elections either from Karimnagar or Hanamkonda to lead a `pressure group' in Parliament striving for Statehood to Telangana.

He preferred Karimnagar because two Assembly segments of this Parliamentary constituency - Nerella and Sircilla - adjoined the Siddipet Assembly constituency which he has won five times and is also a safe Velama bastion. His preference for Hanamkonda was also based on the same analogy. The Cherial Assembly segment of this Parliamentary constituency is next to Siddipet.

Outlining his plans to newsmen during a drive to Jahangir Peer Dargah, 40 km from here, to offer prayers on Monday, Mr. Rao said it was important for him to get elected to the Lok Sabha to lobby with the Centre for the separate State. "If a Congress-led coalition is formed at the Centre, we will see that Telangana becomes a reality in two or three months," he said.

Mr. Rao said Telangana would be part of the common minimum agenda of the Congress and its coalition partners. He did not see any opposition to the formation of Telangana from the Bharatiya Janata Party in Parliament since the party had conceded Chattisgarh and Uttaranchal where there was no serious demand.

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