Date:02/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/02/stories/2008050257160300.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Ex-RTC chief calls for TDP, TRS defeat in bypolls

Staff Reporter

Predicts Congress win in all 16 Assembly constituencies

ADILABAD: Former chairman of APSRTC and Congress leader Gone Prakash Rao on Thursday appealed to voters in Telangana to defeat Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) in the coming by elections. He predicted that Congress is going to win all the 16 Assembly and four Lok Sabha constituencies that will have by elections.

At a press conference here Mr. Prakash Rao reminded TDP leaders from Adilabad district of the party’s promise to develop Adilabad as a model district. He said the late N. T. Rama Rao had made the promise during his visit in 1987.

‘Disservice done’

The TDP leaders did disservice to the district by forgetting the promise of their leader. Instead, the leaders amassed personal wealth at the cost of development of tribals in the district, he added.

The Congress leader criticised Mr. K. Chandrashekhara Rao, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president for his rhetoric over suing a Telugu daily to claim damages worth Rs. 100 crore for alleged defamation. He said the TRS chief had no moral right for such a thing as he himself indulged in defamation of others.