Hyderabad: For the first time in the 35 years of the party’s existence, the Telugu Desam is not contesting Lok Sabha elections for any constituency in Telangana state.
The TD’s senior leaders discussed the issue on Sunday. Senior leader K. Dayakar Reddy and others told party president L. Ramana that the party wanted to field candidates, but the final decision was not to contest and to support the Congress instead.
TD national president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had left the decision to the Telangana unit of the TD, whether to contest or not. The Telangana unit has been reluctant to contest the parliamentary elections in Telanaga after its defeat in the recently-held Assembly elections.
Several senior leaders of the party in Telangana state deserted the party leaving it with no strong candidate to contest the elections, except in two or three constituencies.
The Telangana unit of the TD will support Congress candidates. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee leaders and TD leaders have held discussions on the subject and sources said the Congress leaders have asked the TD to support Congress candidates if the party was not contesting.
