Ex-MP Vijayashanti not to contest in Telangana Assembly polls

Press Trust of India  |  Hyderabad 

Former and star for in Telangana, said she does not have any inclination towards contesting in the ensuing Assembly elections and would give it a thought if the party asked her to contest in the polls.

She also said the top brass of the State leadership is indulging in brainstorming sessions on designing campaign for the party and a clear picture would emerge in a day or two.

"It is my decision not to contest in the Assembly polls. It is not party's decision.. I told when I met him last time that I would work towards strengthening the party..

Though he asked me to contest I refused.. Whatever the high command decides I will obey.. If they ask me to contest for Lok Sabha, I will think about it," she told

The veteran who was in Rashtra Samiti and served as a in 2009 switched loyalty to in 2014 and unsuccessfully contested from Medal Assembly seat.

recently appointed her as a "star campaigner" for the party for the Assembly polls.

"We had a meeting with all the senior leaders in Gandhi Bhavan (headquarters) to give shape to the poll campaign. Discussions are still going on.

In a day or two a clear picture will emerge as to how the campaign will go on," she said.

On the prospects of Congress in polls, Vijayashanthi said, there is "positive wave" for the party and may win over 70 out of 119 assembly seats.

"Congress has positive wave in the state. If we work we will able able to reach the target (of 70 seats). We will win over 70 seats if we work harder," she opined.

To a query, she said due to health problems she was not active for the past three or four years and now she is fully energetic to take the on.

"It was only on sympathy wave had won the elections in 2014 and became the . Now people realised and are not accepting him.. What he promised is different form what is being delivered to people.

He failed to fulfill the promises he made.. Atrocities on backward classes and SC increased. Mafia is ruling the sand mining," she charged the ruling party.

The Congress also alleged that media was being controlled by so that negative about the government does not come to limelight.

According to her, the Congress campaign will be two-pronged- explaining about the failures of and highlighting various schemes being promised in the proposed Congress manifesto.

(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Tue, October 02 2018. 10:50 IST