TJAC asks voters to shun YSRC, TD

• Urges discretion on the part of voters
• Some TJAC sections favour backing TRS

Hyderabad: The Telangana JAC on Saturday called upon the voters to show discretion in exercising their franchise. The TJAC leaders said that the JAC would continue to play the role of a watch dog and will not take any sides with any political party. But at the same time it called upon the people of Telangana not to vote for Telugu Desam or the YSRCP since both these parties had opposed carving of T state.

Addressing the media after the extended steering committee meeting on Friday, TJAC chairman M Kodandaram said that JAC had decided not to appeal to the people to favour any particular party. The JAC is of the opinion that the voters were more aware of the political situation in the region and would take proper and wise decision. He said the voters know what their responsibilities are and whom to vote to ensure that their aspirations and dreams were fulfilled. Reiterating that JAC will enact the role of a watchdog in the future, he said that more details on this would emerge after the next meeting.

However, according to insiders, the meeting discussed at length over the issue of the stand the TJAC should take at such times. Some members strongly advocated that the TJAC should openly support the TRS since it was the only party that had spearheaded the agitation for more than a decade. About 15 in-charges in the constituencies under Greater Hyderabad limits gave a letter asking the TJAC to back the pink party. However, key leaders felt that inclining towards a single party would prove a disadvantage in the context of larger interests of JAC to ensure speedy development of the new state.

TJAC should be able to exert pressure from time to time on the ruling party and the main opposition here besides the central government so that the region was not neglected in the future. For this purpose, JAC should be equidistant from all parties rather than inclining towards a single party, few members said.