HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy on Thursday congratulated TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao on his resounding victory.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan along with APCC president K. Keshava Rao, he said a strong Telangana sentiment coupled with "a share of Congress votes" helped the TRS leader in registering a majority of over two lakh votes against his nearest rival T. Jeevan Reddy of the Congress.

At the same time, the 1.76 lakh votes polled by Mr. Jeevan Reddy proved that voters approved the developmental programmes too, he observed.

As for the demand of separate statehood, he reiterated the Congress' stand that AICC president Sonia Gandhi was looking into the issue. The demand itself, he said, was the result of the nine-year-long neglect of the region by the previous Telugu Desam regime. "We are committed to our stand of development pending a decision on Telangana," he said.

The Chief Minister said the Congress could make forays into new votebanks in Karimnagar despite the strong sentiment that cut across party lines, he said.

Lesson for TDP

On the result in Bobbili, he said: "Voters have rejected the vilification campaign of the ideologically-bankrupt TDP."

Describing the TDP's demand for recounting of votes in Bobbili as ridiculous, he said: "As far as I know only re-totalling is possible. This is the first time I have come across such a demand when electronic voting machines are used." Dr. Keshava Rao said the party would make a scientific analysis of the results and chalk out its future programmes.

Earlier, Congress workers burst crackers outside the party headquarters to celebrate the party's victory in Bobbili.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail