Telangana assembly election 2018 updates: Election campaigning for Telangana Assembly polls concluded today at 5 pm on Wednesday. Voting in Telangana and Rajasthan will be held on December 7. As curtains drawn on campaigning in the state, battle lines are clearly drawn for the first full-fledged Assembly elections in India’s youngest state with the ruling TRS and Congress-led People’s Front locked in a tough fight.
The last day of campaigning saw political leaders hitting out at each other. AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday lashed out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath again over his “Nizam” barb at him, saying Indian Muslims had rejected Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s two-nation theory and he is a citizen of this country “by choice”. Owaisi, a Member of Parliament from Hyderabad, was responding to Adityanath’s recent remarks at a rally in poll-bound Telangana that Owaisi would have to “run away” from Hyderabad, just like the Nizam, if the BJP came to power in the state.
“I am number one citizen of India, an equal citizen and I am not a tenant,” Owaisi told reporters at Hyderabad Press Club. Unlike Yogi, he said, he is an Indian “by choice”. “We (Indian Muslims) rejected Jinnah’s theory. We always accept that India is our homeland. You cannot treat us as second-class citizens. The BJP’s ideology is to treat Muslims not as equal citizens but as unequal citizens,” the AIMIM chief said.
Earlier, AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi ruled out his party joining the TRS government in the event of it returning to power for second term in office. Responding to questions, he claimed that both BJP President Amit Shah and Congress President Rahul Gandhi want to “stop” his party in the December 7 Assembly elections. “Rahul Gandhi and Amit Shah are working together against AIMIM”, he alleged.
Hitting out at TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said the people of Telangana have given him a new name “Khao Commission Rao”. He also lashed out at the caretaker Telangana CM over the promises he made in the past, which still stands unfulfilled.
“People of Telangana have given KCR a new name. KCR Means Khao Commission Rao. KCR promised a 100 bedded hospital in Nalgonda. But nothing has materialised. After forming the Government, Congress will build the much needed 100 needed hospital. KCR should adopt the families of martyrs, families of unemployed, families of farmers who committed suicide,” Gandhi said at a poll rally in Kodad, Suryapet.
Telangana will go to polls on December 7. Campaigning for Telangana elections will end on Tuesday evening.
In the run up to the Assembly elections, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu addressed three back to back rallies at Dammapeta, Sathupally and Kodada.
The Congress party is contesting elections in an alliance with the TDP of Chandrababu Naidu and CPI.
Telangana was scheduled to go to polls along with general elections in 2019. But the State Cabinet headed by TRS of K Chandrasekhar Rao had dissolved the Assembly on September 6, forcing the Election Commission to hold fresh elections.
Also Read: If BJP forms govt, Owaisi will have to run away from Hyderabad, says Adityanath
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Telangana election 2018: Campaigning ends today
Congress government had investigated against Agusta Westland company, blacklisted it and recovered money from the company. When Modi Ji came, he protected, benefited and lifted the blacklist off the company.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi took a jibe at the UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and claimed that Adityanath coming to Telangana for canvassing at a time "when state is burning" shows his callousness. He also alleged that UP Chief Minister is doing "election tourism". "Though anyone is free in a democracy to conduct election campaign, Adityanath coming to Telangana for canvassing at a time "when state is burning" shows his callousness," he claimed. Hoping that UP Police would also realise that the CM was not there to grieve with the families when one of their officers was shot dead, Owaisi said, "Adityanath is doing "election tourism".
Congress President Rahul Gandhi passed a question, related to Congress CM candidate, he was asked during the press conference in Hyderabad and said asking such a question is premature. 'Question of who will be the Chief Minister in Telangana if Congress-led alliance comes to power is premature. Our first goal is to remove KCR,' Gandhi told the reporters. On the issue of agrarian distress, he said that farmers are being treated as liabilities now but they should be treated as assets and with respect if the alliance forms government.
Election campaigning for Telangana Assembly polls concluded today at 5 pm. Voting in the state will be held on December 7 along with Rajasthan. As curtains drawn on campaigning in the state, battle lines are clearly drawn for the first full-fledged Assembly elections in India's youngest state with the ruling TRS and Congress-led People's Front locked in a tough fight.
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi lashed out at UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath again over his "Nizam" barb at him, saying Indian Muslims had rejected Muhammad Ali Jinnah's two-nation theory and he is a citizen of this country "by choice". The Member of Parliament from Hyderabad, Owaisi was responding to Adityanath's recent remarks at a rally in Telangana that Owaisi would have to "run away" from Hyderabad, just like the Nizam, if the BJP came to power in the state. "I am number one citizen of India, an equal citizen and I am not a tenant," Owaisi told reporters at Hyderabad Press Club.
The Election Commission today ordered the removal of Superintendent of Police of Telangana's Vikarabad district over the arrest of Congress' A Revanth Reddy as the police observer found his detention to be unwarranted. In an official communication, Telangana Chief Electoral Officer Rajath Kumar said, "The Election Commission of India has ordered the transfer of Smt T Annapurna, IPS, SP Vikarabad, immediately and posted Sri Avinash Mohanthy IPS ( RR 2005) in place of her with immediate effect."
UP CM Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said only the BJP could firmly deal with the Naxal problem and ISI activities in the country and ensure security for every citizen. Addressing a rally in poll-bound Telangana, he said, 'The BJP will resolve the Naxal issue and act sternly against the anti-India activities of the ISI (Pakistan's spy agency Inter Services Intelligence) to ensure security for every citizen.' He said thousands of years ago, Lord Ram had carried out the same work and ensured a secure society, free from the threat of 'rakshashi atank' (demonic threat) and one which did not discriminate against anyone, everyone felt secure, and 'only the BJP can do this today'.
There is a plan that Mr K Chandrashekar Rao during his last rally in Gajwel will become unconscious then he will be taken to Yashoda Hospital. It's only to gain sympathy. I have got this info from some source and I believe it: Marri Shashidhar Reddy, Congress
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and other TDP-Congress aleaders at a rally in Kodad, Suryapet. The state will go on Assembly poll on december 7.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi alleged that there exists a partnership between PM Narendra Modi and caretaker CM and TRS president K Chandrashekar Rao as the latter approved the GST and demonetisation. "There is a partnership between KCR & Narendra Modi. KCR approved of Gabbar Singh Tax & Demonetisation," he alleged. Gandhi is campaigning in Kodad, Telangana ahead of crucial Assembly polls. He will address a press conference in Hyderabad later in the day.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi hit out at the TRS president K Chandrashekar Rao and said the people of Telangana have given him a new name "Khao Commission Rao". Gandhi was addressing a poll rally in Kodad.
On the last day of campaining in Telangana, Congress party was apparanetly appeasing the young voters, calling them its top priority. "Our government will ensure the youth of Telangana are our priority, providing quality jobs & unemployment assistance is the need of the hour," the party posted on its Twitter handle. The Congress and TDP are part of the 'People's Front' which also comprises the CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS).
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi today claimed that both BJP President Amit Shah and Congress President Rahul Gandhi are working against AIMIM and they want to stop his party in the December 7 Assembly elections. AIMIM had won seven seats in the 2014 Assembly elections and has fielded eight candidates this time. Owaisi also claimed that his party would not only retain the seven seats but also win in Rajendranagar constituency.
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi today ruled out his party joining the TRS government in the event of it returning to power for second term in office. The Hyderabad Lok Sabha member said the TRS would form a government on its own. "No, we will not join the government. I am pretty much sure that the people of Telangana will bless KCR (as caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is referred to by many) again. He will form the government. We will not join the government", he said.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi to campaign for Telangana elections today at two places in the state. He will address his first rally for the day in Suryapet district, the second meeting will be a press conference in Hyderabad.
Telangana Rashtriya Samiti (TRS) and caretaker Telanagana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao referred to the people, who has gathered in his public meeting in Alampur, as 'bewkoof' for making noise while he was speaking. KCR, as the leader is popularly called, did not stop here and reportedly asked if they "lacked sense" in a public address. KCR was speaking about the irrigation scenario when the audience began to make noises. “Why are you shouting? Are you bewakoof galu? Don’t you have sense? You seem to have gone mad (pichollu)”. While asking if a leader was present to control the particular section making the noise, he also asked if “other people shouldn’t listen to my speech or not? Can’t you be silent for 10 minutes?,” , Deccan Chronicle reported quoting the TRS leader as saying.
The “settlers” and Muslims from Rayalaseema and the coastal regions of Andhra Pradesh are likely to play a crucial role in the political fortunes of the candidates in 24 constituencies falling under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC). For the upcoming December 7 Telangana Assembly polls, the N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP has struck an electoral pact with the Congress.
To woo the voters in Telangana, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi played separate statehood card yet again and said the party had delivered on its earlier promise of forming a separate state of Telangana in the "Congress way". Gandhi appealed the voters to vote for the party in the December 7 polls.