Naidu: Do not vote for cycle

Hyderabad, April 6: Unbelievable as it may sound, the Telugu Desam president, Mr N. Chandrababu Naidu, is appealing to the electorate in certain seats not to vote for the “cycle”, his party’s poll symbol. Mr Naidu had already asked Makthal voters not to vote for the cycle and defeat the TD candidate, Mr Dayakar Reddy, during his campaign in Mahbubnagar district. The TD chief will have to repeat the appeal in the Secunderabad and Warangal LS seats and Maheshwaram Assembly seat where the party’s “official” nominees refused to withdraw.

“Unlike in 2004 where the Congress indirectly supported its leaders to take on the official nominees of the TRS as independents, the TD issued B-forms to its candidates,” a senior party leader admitted. After a party issues this form, the candidates are treated as “official” candidates as per poll records and the returning officer will allot the party symbol even if they refuse to withdraw from the contest.
In Warangal, the TD nominee, Mr D. Sambaiah, remained in the fray with the cycle symbol though the seat was allotted to the TRS. The TRS chief, Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, may also have to request voters not to vote for the car symbol of his party. In Husnabad, the party nominee Capt. Lakshmikantha Rao, refused to withdraw and decided to take on the CPI candidate Mr Ch. Venkata Reddy. In Warangal East, TRS and CPI(M) are fighting each other.