HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee president, K. Keshava Rao on Sunday said the party would tackle the problem of party rebels in several municipalities and corporations and ensure that they did not mar the chances of official nominees.

The PCC has already asked the District Congress Committees and the election coordination committees to list the number of rebels in each municipality and corporation.

The local units were asked to convince the rebels to retire from the race in the interest of the party.

Dr. Keshava Rao told presspersons reporters here on Sunday that there were reports that 150 party rebels were still in the fray after the withdrawal of nominations on September 9. "Out of these rebels, only 10-12 are capable of affecting the fortunes of the party nominees," he said adding that the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and himself would directly speak to them and persuade them to pull out of the race. He issued a stern warning to all candidates against projecting individuals as Mayor or chairperson candidates. Dr. Rao said in some places candidates were asked to give written undertaking that they would not stake claim to the top post.

"We have reports of such incidents in Warangal, Anantapur and other places," he added. Asked about the CPI(M) and the CPI going it alone in the Kurnool Municipal Corporation, he said minor irritants would be solved.

`Defeat TRS'

He agreed that the Congress and Left parties failed to reach an agreement. He spoke to the CPI(M) State secretary, B. V. Raghuvulu, and the CPI State secretary, K. Narayana, on the issue.

Congress and Left party leaders would address a joint public meeting in Vijayawada on September 16.

Dr. Rao said people should not vote for the TRS and waste their ballot when the latter had said the issue of Telangana was left to the decision of the UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi.

He said the recent outbursts of TRS leaders showed their ``desperation'' and by doing so they were damaging their stand on Telangana.

He said the results of the municipal polls were sure to prove the decline in the presence of the TRS.

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