Congress to contest Medak by-poll on its own

The Congress will contest, on its own, the by-election to Medak parliamentary constituency in Telanagana, party general secretary Digvijaya Singh said Sunday.

The by-election for Medak Lok Sabha seat is scheduled to be held on Sep 13. The seat fell vacant with the resignation of Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

Addressing the brainstorming session of Telangana unit of the party, Digivijaya Singh, who is in charge of party affairs in Telangana, asked the cadre to gear up for the elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). He also asked them to submit their suggestions to strengthen the party in the state.

The two-day session being held at Ibrahimpatnam in neighbouring Ranga Reddy district is analyzing the reasons for party's debacle in assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Telangana.

Digvijaya Singh said the Congress failed to take the United Party Alliance government's achievements to people. He said Congress did the work but failed to do the publicity, which proved to be its weakness.

Congress' Telangana unit chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah claimed that 140 farmers committed suicide since Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) came to power in Telangana. He said it was only Congress which fulfilled its poll promises immediately after forming the government.

Lakshmaiah said it was during Congress rule that electricity generation in the state improved, and Hyderabad got global recognition in the information technology sector. He also noted that it was the Congress-led government approved Information Technology Investment Region (ITIR) for Hyderabad.