Nagam To Skip By-Poll Campaign

Telangana Telugu Desam Party Forum Convenor Nagam Janardhan Reddy on Thursday stated that he will not campaign for the party in the upcoming by-elections to the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula Assembly constituencies.

Talking to media persons at the Telugu Desam Legislature Party office, the senior Telangana leader stated that he would focus on energizing the agitation for a separate Telangana state, instead of campaigning in the by-elections.

Criticizing Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K Chandrasekhar Rao for performing a "Chandi Yagam" for the cause of Telangana, Reddy said that a separate state cannot be achieved by performing yagas and yajnas (religious rituals).

"Telangana state formation can be achieved only with the political will and the concerted efforts of Telangana leaders across all parties," the TDP leader opined.

Janardhan Reddy also charged the state government of issuing the controversial GO 177 to quell the Telangana agitation.

The GO 177, which was issued on Wednesday by Chief Secretary S V Prasad, says that the employees who had participated in the earlier non-cooperation agitation will not be paid their salaries on the basis of the "no work, no pay" principle.

With the issuing of the GO 177, the state government was making efforts to prevent the employees from participating in the separate statehood agitation, Reddy said.

He also said that the government must pay a heavy cost for violating employees' rights, and demanded that the controversial GO be withdrawn immediately. (INN)