Pawan to campaign but PRP quitted bypoll

The Praja Rajyam party would opt out of byelections to 10 seats scheduled for July 27 in the Telangana districts. However, Prp's star campaigners Pawan Kalyan and Nagu Babu would keep campaigning for friendly parties at the hustings.

According to party senior leader Kotagiri Vidyadhara Rao, the party supremo K Chiranjeevi decided to keep party out of the fray during the byelections as it has no base in the Telangana region.

Chiranjeevi told newsmen the elections were not a referendum on the Telangana issue as reportedly claimed by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti. The Prp leader criticized the TRS leaders for their inflammatory statements, which affect the law and order situation in the state. He asked the people to exercise their franchise in a free and fair manner.  He said the party has decided to respect the recommendations of Justice Srikrishna Commission appointed to look into situation in the state.