HYDERABAD: Ending three days of drama and suspense in the party, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday withdrew his resignation as party chief under pressure from leaders and the cadre. An emotion-choked Mr. Rao expressed his willingness to continue as the president at a meeting of the workers after the executive
committee of the party passed a unanimous resolution rejecting his resignation. After the meeting which was presided by V. Laxmikantha Rao, MLA, the leaders and workers proceeded to his house from the party office to convey to him the resolution. As the crowd squatted and raised slogans outside the house, a delegation went inside to plead with Mr. Rao to take back his resignation. The TRS chief, who resigned on Tuesday owning responsibility for the party’s setback in the byelections in Telangana, was lustily cheered when he made his first public appearance after announcement of the results, and drove in a procession to the party office a short distance away. A group of party activists sitting on hunger strike outside the office ended their protest when he offered them lime juice.
Addressing the cadre, Mr. Rao said he wanted to step down as he was hurt by the election results. He had proposed to hand over the reins to someone who introduced a new direction to the movement run by TRS but was advised against it. He attributed the party’s poor show to the low turnout of voters as in Hanamkonda town that saw only 23 per cent polling.
Detailed analysis
Stating that the TRS polled more votes than other parties, he said the party secured 33.5 per cent votes as against 29 per cent of the Congress and 26 per cent of the Telugu Desam.
He promised to take steps to resurrect the party.
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