Botsa-CM Differ on Banswada Byelection

The byelection to the Banswada assembly constituency, caused by Pocharam Srinivas Reddy's resignation in support of separate Telangana, has given raise to a difference of opinion between the chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy and PCC president Botsa Satyanarayana.

On Saturday, the steering committee of the T-Congress had urged the party leadership to honour the decision of the Telangana parties to leave any byelection connected to the Telangana cause uncontested. In spite of different views in the state Congress on contesting the Banswada byelection on October 13, a meeting held by chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy decided that the party would throw its hat in the ring.

The meeting, attended by PCC presisdent Botsa Satyanarayana, MP Suresh Setkar, minister B Sudarshan Reddy and Nizamabad DCC president G Gangadhar, finally took the decision which goes against the recommendation of the steering committee of the T-Congress which advocated opting out of the bypoll since it is related to the Telangana issue. In fact, except the chief minister, all the other members, Botsa, former PCC chief D Srinivas, former minitser Md Shabbir Ali, Shetkar and Sudarshan Reddy are opposed to fielding a candidate in the by-election.

Botsa, who is having a soft corner for the T-movement, is expected to put forth his argument before the party high command in New Delhi in the next couple of days to persuade the leadership to abstain from contesting the election. According to sources, Botsa is of the view that fielding a candidate in the byelection against TRS would vitiate the atmosphere for the Congress in Telangana. He is also said to have argued in the party circles against the party taking the risk of losing election and incurring the wrath of people since the outcome does not alter the Congress position in the assembly.

Meanwhile, sources close to the CM said that he was against the decision of TCongress steering committee as it would set a precedent. "The CM is anticipating some more byelections in Telangana. So, as a national party, apprehending defeat, we should not shy away from facing elections," is the opinion of the CM, according to sources. The Seemandhra Congress leaders are expected to back the chief minister in this tussle with the PCC president.