TPCC taking affidavits from contestants

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has asked contestants in local body elections to give affidavits that they would not change the party once they get elected.

The TPCC issued affidavits and asked the candidates to submit them before taking the B form, or ticket, of the party to contest in the MPTC and ZPTC polls.

The affidavit stated, "I, so and so, hereby give a written undertaking and solemnly affirm and state on oath as under that I am the member of Indian National Congress Party (symbol of Hand) and I have applied to contest as ZPTC/ MPTC of so and so territorial constituency.

"If my candidature is accepted by the party to contest, I shall abide by all the rules and regulations of the Indian National Congress party and I strictly follow the decisions of Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee or All India Congress Committee during 5-year tenure of my elected post.

I accept that as ZPTC/MPTC, I am a public servant and liable for penal action for violating this written undertaking.

I also accept that any voter of my territorial constituency can initiate civil or criminal proceedings against me for breach of trust if I change from Indian National Congress party or disobey any party decisions."

The Congress decided to take the affidavits in view of the defection of the MLAs and MLCs of the party in the past five years. In the first Assembly of Telangana, about six MLAs and six MLCs switched their loyalties to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi.

The defections continued now also. About nine MLAs and four MLCs shifted their loyalties to the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi. The party was virtually wiped out from the Council after defections.

Though the Congress fought against the defections legally, but in vain. No decision was taken by the Speaker of the first Assembly.

The party submitted a memorandum to the Speaker now to take action on the defected MLAs.

However, no action was been initiated so far. In an effort to ensure that the elected MPTCs and ZPTCs do not defect to the ruling party, the Congress party decided to take affidavits from the contestants.