Congress decides to go alone in GHMC polls

Hyderabad, Sept 15 (INN): The Telangana Congress has decided to contest the GHMC elections, likely to be held by this year-end, alone.

Addressing the workers at Greater Hyderabad Congress Convention at Jal Vihar, TPCC Chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah said that the Congress was capable of fighting and winning the GHMC elections alone.

He asked the Congress workers to educate the masses that it was their party which brought development in the city. He said that no one would be allowed to tarnish the cosmopolitan image of Hyderabad. He also slammed Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for non-implementation of promises that he made during elections.

Leader of the Opposition K Jana Reddy said that the Congress workers should focus on their strengths while minimising their weaknesses. He asked them to have a deep study of the problems being faced by the people in the GHMC limits.

Rajya Sabha MPs Renuka Chowdhary, V Hanumantha Rao and MA Khan also asked the Congress workers to prepare for the GHMC elections. They stressed the need for better coordination among workers and leaders. VHR said that the party would never encourage MIM in the city and it would fight against it in its bastion.

He even criticised TPCC Vice-President Mohammed Ali Shabbir and Rajya Sabha MP MA Khan for not speaking against the MIM in their speeches. TPCC General Secretary G Nirajnan strongly advocated that Congress contest the elections against the MIM while claiming that it was due to Congress party's support that the MIM increased its strengthen in the twin cities.

Earlier, Mohammed Ali Shabbir strongly criticised KCR on his stand on nativity. "We are Indians first and then the citizens of Telangana," he said adding that everyone has a right to live and work in any part of the country.

However, he said the locals should be given preference in government jobs. He said that all sections of the society were feeling cheated due to the fake promises made by KCR.

Three resolutions were also passed during the convention. While the first resolution was against the alleged remarks of KCR against the media, the other one was related to the sacrifices made by the Osmania University students. Another resolution condoling the loss of life and property in Jammu & Kashmir floods was also passed. The meeting also condoled the death of Rajendranagar corporator J Satyaranarayana.

Greater Hyderabad Congress president D Nagender also spoke on the occasion.