It seems that the Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, and the Telugu Desam chief, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, are having second thoughts about campaigning for the upcoming bypolls in view of widespread opposition from pro-Telangana activists — particularly students — who are hell-bent on frustrating their campaign efforts.
The three heavyweights, Mr Rosaiah, Mr Naidu and Mr Chiranjeevi, who belong to the Rayalaseema and Andhra regions, are likely to stay away from the campaign in view of the tense situation. As per the latest indications, the PCC chief, Mr D. Srinivas, who will most likely be the candidate for the Nizamabad Urban segment, will also confine campaigning to his constituency.
Mr Srinivas had reportedly drawn up plans involving ministers and legislators from the Telangana region campaigning in his segment. He had already requested the Chief Minister to campaign for a day or two as Vysyas constitute a sizeable chunk of the electorate in the constituency and might play a decisive role in tilting the votes.
But according to sources close to Mr Rosaiah, he has two problems. One is whether to campaign in the tense atmosphere and secondly, what poll promises to make to the electorate.
Telangana Congress leaders, who are in the forefront when it comes to demanding a separate Telangana state, have already prepared a slogan for the party’s campaign: “Congress alone will bring about a Telangana state as it is ruling both at the Centre and state.”
The Chief Minister, however, cannot make this promise to the electorate keeping feelings of those in Rayalaseema and Andhra in mind.
