While the Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party is undecided about contesting in the Telangana Elections, the YSRCP has officially announced that they are not contesting in the December 7 polls, choosing instead to focus on the Andhra Pradesh Assembly Elections in 2019. The YSRCP stated that they will contest in the 2024 Telangana Elections after strengthening their cadre.
In the 2014 united Andhra elections, the YSRCP had three MLAs in Telangana—Thati Venkateswarulu from Aswaraopeta, Payam Venkateswarulu from Pinapaka and Banoth, Madan Lal from Wyra. However, all these MLAs later defected to the TRS party. Even Khammam MP, Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy who had contested on a YSRCP ticket later joined the TRS party, accusing YSRCP chief Jaganmohan Reddy of betraying Telangana.
Following the state bifurcation, YS Jaganmohan Reddy, president of YSRCP, has been only focusing on Andhra Pradesh. In a bid to oust the ruling Chandrababu Naidu in the 2019 elections, he is on a 3,000 km padayatra. However, Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP has chosen to contest in the Telangana polls. The TDP which is part of the grand alliance of Congress, TJS and CPI will be contesting from 14 seats. Though the announcement hasn’t been made officially, the party leaders have confirmed to media that they have been given 14 seats by the Congress.
Interestingly, Pawan Kalyan who had toured Telangana a few months ago, had in October announced to the media that he would field contestants in 24 constituencies for the Telangana Elections. However, as the leader is busy with his campaign in Andhra Pradesh it is unlikely that his party will contest. Recently, when Pawan was questioned by reporters in Vijayawada, whether his party would contest in the Telangana elections, he reportedly said that they would take a call on it in another 2-3 days.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Leader of Opposition, YS Jaganmohan Reddy who had taken a 17-day break from his padayatra, following an attack by a person working at a coffee shop in the Vizag airport, will resume his tour on Monday from Vizianagaram.
Elections in Telangana will be held on December 7 and the results will be announced on December 11.