State Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Thursday that the Congress would declare its candidates for both the elections in the first week of September. (File)
Days after Telangana Chief Minister and TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao announced that the party would declares the names of its candidates for the 2019 Assembly and Parliamentary polls on September 2, state Congress chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Thursday that the Congress would also declare its candidates for both the elections in the first week of September.
State Congress leaders said on Thursday that the two-day visit of party president Rahul Gandhi has rejuvenated the state unit and they were ready to take on the TRS in the coming elections. “Rahul Gandhi has directed AICC Telangana in-charge R C Khuntia to constitute a committee to prepare a list of probable candidates which would be scrutinised and approved by AICC for announcement in the first week of September,’’ Reddy said. On reports of a possible tie-up with the TDP in Telangana, Reddy said there was no such thinking in the party as of now although they were open to alliances.
The Congress leaders said that Rahul had indicated that the list of probable candidates should have many young faces. “Rahul Gandhi’s visit is like a shot in the arm for the Telangana Congress and we are confident to take on the TRS in the coming election. He received tremendous response from people here. We are ready even for early elections…even if it is in December,’’ Reddy said.
He said that the TRS had been rattled by the response Rahul received. “After Rahul raised the issue of funds for Self-Help Groups, the TRS government immediately released funds. That is how rattled the TRS got with Rahul’s visit,’’ he said. He said Rahul visited the state at a time when all sections of the society have lost hope from the TRS government in the state and the BJP-led government at the Centre.