Telangana Assembly polls: Parties prep to hit campaign trail in next fortnight

Hyderabad: Campaigning for the December 7 Telangana Assembly polls would hit top gear during the next fortnight with top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, set to address public meetings in the state.

With the process of filing nominations coming to a close on Monday, all major parties, the ruling TRS, the BJP, and the Congress along with its "grand alliance" constituents -- the TDP and others -- have drawn up plans for intense hustings. 

The Congress has announced that Sonia Gandhi, on her first visit to Telangana after the state's formation, will address a public meeting on November 23 at Medchal on the periphery of Hyderabad. 

Party president Rahul Gandhi is expected to visit the state for campaigning on November 28, 29 and December 3, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy told PTI. 

State BJP chief K Laxman has said that while Shah would campaign in Telangana during a three-day visit from November 25, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the state for campaigning in the first week of December. 

The BJP national president had kicked off the party's poll campaign with a public meeting in September and subsequently addressed two more meetings. 

TRS president and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, the ruling party's star campaigner, will address a series of campaign meetings this week. His son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, both ministers in the caretaker government, have been leading the campaign since the Assembly was dissolved on September 6. 

The Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a partner in the 'grand alliance' would get star power with N Balakrishna, the son of party founder N T Rama Rao and a top-ranking Telugu film hero, canvassing for the party. 

For Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), another partner in the "grand alliance", it is president M Kodandaram who, during campaigning, would highlight the alliance's agenda for the people. 

The 'grand alliance', comprising the Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS, has alleged that the aspirations of the people following the formation of Telangana have not been met during the TRS rule. 

The Telangana assembly was dissolved prematurely on September 6 following a recommendation made by the TRS government, necessitating polls ahead of schedule.