Telangana Jana Samithi founder M. Kodandaram welcoming AICC Telangana in-charge Manikrao Thakre, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief A. Revanth Reddy along with party leaders at TJS party office in Hyderabad on Monday.
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
The Telangana Jana Samiti, headed by Kodandaram, will extend its support to the Congress party in the Telangana elections and has decided to stay away from the contest this time.
TJS chief Kodandaram declared this after Telangana Congress president A. Revanth Reddy met him along with other Congress party leaders at the former’s office and requested his party’s support for the elections to be held on November 30.
Mr. Kodandaram is said to have taken assurance from the Congress that the TJS agenda on employment and self-respect for the people would be implemented by the Congress if it came to power. Moreover, he was of the view that the ‘autocratic and corrupt’ rule of the BRS must go if Telangana had to progress with respect and inclusive development.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Revanth Reddy said Mr. Kodandaram has been fighting against the autocracy of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao for the last nine years and that fight must continue. “We sought his support to ensure that this corrupt government must go,” he announced and thanked The TJS for the unconditional support.
Mr. Reddy said the issue of seats and votes was trivial in the final goal of removing KCR from power. He said TJS will play an important role in the Congress government. Alleging that some police officials were working as a private army of KCR and they would be dealt with as per law once the Congress comes to power.
TJS journey
Former professor of Osmania University Kodandaram founded the TJS on March 31, 2018, after serving as the Chairman of the all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee, which played a key role in leading the movement since 2009. Once close to KCR, the TJS chief fell out with him for various reasons, including questioning the suppression of rights of people in the newly formed State. He allied with the Congress in the 2018 elections at the last minute but the entire exercise turned sour with no clarity on seat sharing. He himself opted out of race in the elections.
