BJP, TRS welcome announcement of Telangana poll schedule

The BJP and ruling TRS Saturday welcomed the announcement of schedule for the Legislative Assembly elections in Telangana.

Congress, on the other hand, referred to a matter related to alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls in the High Court though the party said it is ready for the polls.

"We welcome it. We are prepared for it. We have already geared up our machinery," state BJP president K Laxman told PTI.

BJP chief Amit Shah has already sounded the poll bugle and he would address a meeting on October 10 at Karimnagar, he said.

The party's state election committee would sit and recommend the names of the candidates to the parliamentary party board, Laxman said.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sravan Dasoju said his party is ready for the polls, but said a case was pending in the court on alleged discrepancies in electoral rolls.

"I don't know what is the hurry for them. The matter is pending. Discussion is going on. Separate date given for the next hearing.

Pending the next hearing, they have gone ahead and announced the schedule. They may have authority to do so. But then, the case is filed that there is anomaly, there is some discrepancy in the voters list," he said.

The defeat of ruling TRS is certain, he claimed. "Congress is ready to face the battle," he said.

Welcoming the announcement, the ruling TRS MP B Vinod Kumar cited an apex court order that early polls should be conducted if the assembly or Lok Sabha is dissolved.

"We are fully prepared for it," he said, expressing confidence that the party would win the polls.

The Election Commission Saturday announced the dates for the Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram Assembly polls.

Polling in Rajasthan and Telangana will be held on December 7, Chief Election Commissioner O P Rawat said in New Delhi.

While Chhattisgarh will go to the polls in two phases on November 12 and 20, the Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram Assembly elections will be held on November 28.

Counting of votes will be held across all the five states on December 11, the CEC said.