SHAH PREDICTED EARLY POLLS FOR TS: DATTATREYA

Former Union Minister and BJP MP Bandaru Dattatreya said that BJP President Amit Shah told them that early elections would be held for the Telangana Assembly and directed them to gear up the party for elections. He said that Telangana Assembly polls might be held in November or December 2018.

Dattatreya said that they met Amit Shah at Shamshabad airport on Thursday while he was proceeding to Mantralayam to attend an RSS meeting. He said that the BJP would contest alone and there would be no alliance with any party.

Former Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya said on Friday that BJP president Amit Shah had told party leaders that elections would be held in November or December to the Telangana state Assembly and directed them to gear up the cadres.

Speaking to mediapersons, Mr Dattatreya said the party leaders had met Mr Shah at Shamshabad airport on Thursday night, while he was proceeding to Mantralayam to attend the RSS meeting.

Mr Dattatreya said there would be no alliance and the BJP would contest by itself in the state. He said that on directions of the leadership, party leaders had started the process of preparing a list of of candidates for all 119 Assembly constituencies in the state.

Mr Dattatreya said he was ready to contest the polls either to the Lok Sabha or to the Assembly depending on the high command orders.

He said that the BJP had become strong in the rural areas, which the TRS government had ignored in the last four years. He said the state government had failed in developing rural areas, and had not provided jobs.

He said the TRS was conducting its own meetings but was denying permission to Opposition parties to hold meetings because of which they had to approach the courts. He said the municipal department officials were removing banners up by Opposition parties, and asked why they were not clearing TRS flags.