It was do or die battle for KCR

The TRS spared no effort to win the 10 seats it had resigned knowing well that any setback would severely dent KCRs standing in the region.This result is a big political boost for KCR, a political analyst said. Before the votes were cast on July 27, TRS chief had said: All 12 Congress candidates, including DS, should lose their deposit. Only then will Sonia Gandhi realise the intensity of Telangana sentiment. Indeed, Fridays verdict said it all as political pundits observed that the results cannot be passed off as a TRS demand for separate Telangana only. It was KCR who set the stage with his fastunto-death stir eight months ago. KCR had joined hands with Naidu in the 2009 electoral battle and fought the 2004 polls along with the Congress.It may be recalled that in Nov 2008, KCRs bypoll ploy backfired as his party lost nine of the 16 seats it had held.But not this time. It was a one-sided contest right from the time the counting of votes began in the morning, an analyst said.

The groundswell of support for TRS and separate statehood cause would do well pave the way for TRS to sell the T-line to the Centre that sentiment does run deep and that formation of separate Telangana is the larger aspiration of the people.Accepting the defeat,chief minister Rosaiah said in a brief statement that his party would respect the verdict of the people. The byelections were necessitated after 12 MLAs one each from TDP and BJP and 10 from TRS had resigned in February this year to bolster the demand for a separate Telangana state.
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TRS win a referendum for separate state: KCR


Calling the sweeping victory of TRS candidates in the by elections as a victory of Telangana martyrs who died during the agitation for separate T state and four crore Telangana people,the TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao said that the party dedicates its victory to all those people who supported them in the byelections and thanked the JAC for playing a key role in the victory of the party candidates. At a press conference on Friday evening,Rao said that the party leaders should not feel elated by the victory. It has put greater responsibility on them.The victory was a step forward in the direction of achieving a separate state,he said. Referring to the defeat of Congress and TDP candidates,he said it was a slap on their face.They lost their deposits despite spending Rs 200 crore,he said.Rao also criticised TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu of indulging in screw driver politics.KCR said he would now focus attention on strengthening the party organisation.Rao said the Centre should call for the Srikrishna committee report immediately and bifurcate the state respecting the verdict of the people before December 31.It is nothing but a referendum.If they fail they will heavy price in future. Talking of the partys support to BJP in Nizamabad urban,he said it was a special case but in future we will fight all election on our own,he added.

He said the Telangana JAC,which has a strong presence in the region,played an active role in the victory of the TRS by mobilising the government employees,lawyers associations,minorities and student organisations to rally for the separate state cause and vote for the TRS on polling day. The joint action committee organised massive awareness programmes like bus yatras,padayatras and village-level meetings to educate people about the importance of ensuring the victory of MLAs who had resigned.In fact it is the victory of the JAC more than the TRS,claim JAC leaders.More than 20 lakh students,3 lakh government employees and one lakh advocates actively participated in the campaign during the bypolls,JAC official spokesperson Vittal told TOI.
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Record win for Harish Rao

He did not speak much.But his humungous vote margin said it all.Tenneeru Harish Rao,who recorded a massive victory of 95,858 votes,flashed the victory sign at Siddipet with a smug expression on his face while supporters around him raised slogans of Jai ho Telangana. As his supporters shouted slogans of Telangana ki addu voste,addamga narikestham (Nobody dare cross our path to Telangana) and savoured his stupendous victory,Harish Rao just walked away.For starters,Harish has dethroned late Y S Rajasekhara Reddys record win of 68,681 votes from Pulivendula in 2009 polls by overtaking it by nearly 30,000 votes.He himself stood a close second behind YSR with 64,667 vote majority in 2009.While he polled 1,08,779 votes,his nearest Congress rival T Srinivas Goud received 11,610 votes.TDPs Babu Mohan was thrashed as he got a paltry 5,258 votes.Revelling in the victory,Harish said TRS stood out as the true representative of Telangana cause.With this win,we will take the T-vadam (sentiment) forward, he said.He said the Congress line that it would onlydeliver the separate state had no takers.The Congress must introspect as people are fed up with its false promises, he observed.TNN
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(source-toi)