PR does U-turn on polls

Hyderabad, Nov. 6: The Praja Rajyam has decided to contest the GHMC elections after it had earlier planned to stay away from the polls. It announced candidates for 50 seats out of 150 divisions in the GHMC on Friday. The Greater Hyderabad Praja Rajyam president, Mr Kattela Srinivas Yadav’s wife. Ms Smita Priya, was also given PR ticket for Ramgopalpet as he did not want to contest the elections.

The PR high command felt it would send wrong signals to the cadre and public if it did not contest the election. The party leaders were under pressure from the local leaders who wanted to contest the election.

The party clarified that there was no proposal to merge the PR with the Congress. “This is only media speculation. The party will not react to such speculation,” said Mr Kotagiri Vidyadhara Rao, senior party leader.

Meanwhile, the TD has forged an alliance with CPI(M) and the CPI, providing them three seats each.

The BJP is likely to have a post-poll alliance with the TD to win the mayoral election. The BJP national spokesperson, Mr Prakash Javadekar, said all issues related to the alliance will be discussed after the elections are over.