YSRTP not contesting Telangana election, will support Congress: party chief Sharmila

President of YSR Telangana Party on Friday announced that her party would not contest in the upcoming Telangana elections. She also expressed her party's support to Congress, saying that her party was making a sacrifice in order not to create obstacles when Congress has a chance to dislodge the KCR-led BRS government.

Hyderabad (Telangana): President of YSR Telangana Party, YS Sharmila Reddy on Friday announced that her party, YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) is not contesting this year's Telangana Assembly elections slated for November 30. She declared that her party would support the Congress party in these elections.

'We are supporting Congress party', said YSRTP chief Sharmila addressing a press conference here. She has taken this key decision on a day when the Election Commission of India announced the notification and schedule for the Telangana November 30 elections today. Explaining why she took such a decision, YS Sharmila said that there is a chance for Congress to win this election and they have no intention of harming that party's chances.

Sharmila Reddy further said that it is not right to create obstructions when there is an opportunity to change the government. She said their party would extend support to Congress in its efforts to dislodge what she described as the 'corrupt regime of KCR'. The decision not to contest the polls was taken so as to prevent the anti-incumbency vote which otherwise would benefit the KCR-led Bharata Rashtra Samithi (BRS).

Referring to some surveys her party conducted, Sharmila said that their participation in this election would directly affect the winning changes of the Congress candidates. This was why the YSRTP had decided to make a sacrifice this time and allow Congress to defeat the BRS, she said.

The YSRTP president said that a wealth state like Telangana became trapped in debts and problems because of the greed and oppression of one family in the past nine and half years. She underscored the need for all rival parties to rally together and make a united effort to unseat the BRS from power in the State.

• Telangana Elections | President of YSR Telangana Party, YS Sharmila Reddy says, "YSRTP is supporting Congress party in Telangana Assembly elections. YSRTP will not contest this election."
  
  (File photo) pic.twitter.com/G2xV653eLz

  — ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2023 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Telangana Elections | President of YSR Telangana Party, YS Sharmila Reddy says, "YSRTP is supporting Congress party in Telangana Assembly elections. YSRTP will not contest this election."
  
  (File photo) pic.twitter.com/G2xV653eLz

  — ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2023

  ">

  Telangana Elections | President of YSR Telangana Party, YS Sharmila Reddy says, "YSRTP is supporting Congress party in Telangana Assembly elections. YSRTP will not contest this election."
  
  (File photo) pic.twitter.com/G2xV653eLz

  — ANI (@ANI) November 3, 2023

This month's election to the 119-member Telangana Assembly assumed significance with Congress offering a stiff challenge to the ruling BRS. On its part, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also making a strong bid to increase its vote share. Along with YSRTP, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is also not contesting this election.