TRS not to contest bye-elections in Khairatabad

Hyderabad - Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), the regional party fighting for a separate Telangana state, Sunday announced it would not field a candidate for bye-election to Khairatabad assembly seat as a mark of respect for senior Congress leader P. Janardhan Reddy who died Friday.

TRS president and former union minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao told newsmen that his party had decided to appeal to other parties to ensure unanimous election of a member of Reddy's family. He had fought for the rights of the people of Telengana.

Reddy represented Khairatabad constituency in the state capital for a fifth term. He had also served as a state minister.

Meanwhile, rich tributes were paid Reddy at a condolence meeting held at Gandhi Bhavan, the headquarters of the Congress party. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy also paid tributes to the former minister and announced that a memorial would be constructed in his honour in the capital.

Leaders of Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) also paid their last respects.