Congress decides against fielding VH in RS poll

The Telangana Congress leaders have decided not to field its senior leader V Hanumantha Rao in the Rajya Sabha elections. Talking to the media here on Saturday, V. Hanumantha Rao said the Congress leaders had extended support to TRS candidate Dr K Keshav Rao when the latter contested for Rajya Sabha seat earlier. The State Congress naturally expected that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao would extend support to Congress candidate. But the TRS fielded two candidates – D Srinivas and Captain Lakshminatha Rao – for the two Rajya Sabha seats, leaving no chance to the Congress, he said, adding he withdrew from the contest. Describing defections as a heinous trend, Hanumantha Rao said TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy and CLP leader K Jana Reddy thought that the Rajya Sabha election would be unanimous. Jana Reddy said the TPCC would submit a report on the Congress defeat in the Palair by-election to AICC chief Sonia Gandhi. Leader of the Opposition in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir said his party would celebrate Telangana State Formation Day as a day to extend thanks to Sonia Gandhi. He also said the party leaders would hoist national flag on June 2 in all the districts across the State.