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BRS would stay away from MLC poll in Hyderabad: KTR
KT Rama Rao said his party had chosen to abstain because it could not support either the BJP or AIMIM.
BRS Working President KT Rama Rao on Saturday said the party has decided to stay away from the April 23 MLC election from the Hyderabad Local Authorities’ Constituency as it does not have the requisite strength to win.
When asked about Union Minister and Telangana BJP president GKishan Reddy’s allegation that the BRS and Congress were trying to help the AIMIM candidate win by not contesting, Rao said his party had chosen to abstain because it could not support either the BJP or AIMIM.
"Kishan Reddy can say what he wants. The fact is, we don’t have the numbers to win in the local body here. So, we have decided to abstain and boycott the election. We cannot vote for either the BJP or AIMIM, and therefore, we will not take part in the electoral process," Rao told PTI Videos.
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However, BJP MLA Raja Singh criticised the BRS, alleging that the party had deliberately stepped aside to help AIMIM win.
He claimed there was a tacit understanding between the ruling Congress, BRS, and AIMIM.
Singh further said that the political future of Congress and BRS corporators in Hyderabad, who are eligible to vote, would be in jeopardy if they supported the AIMIM nominee.
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He added that abstaining from voting amounted to disrespecting democracy and urged Congress and BRS corporators to vote according to their conscience.
The election to the Legislative Council from the Hyderabad Local Authorities’ Constituency will be held on April 23.
The contest is between BJP’s N Goutham Rao and AIMIM’s Mirza Riyaz Ul Hassan Effendi. Congress and BRS have not fielded candidates.
