Hyderabad, Jul 18 (IANS): Former Telangana minister E. Rajender's wife Jamuna is likely to contest the ensuing by-election to Huzurabad Assembly seat.

Jamuna dropped the hints to this effect on Sunday, saying that whether he contests the poll or she enters the fray, it is one and the same.

Her comments came amid reports that Rajender may distance himself from by-election. She said a decision is yet to be taken as to who among them will contest.

"Whoever among us gets the chance will contest the poll," Jamuna said while talking to reporters while campaigning in the constituency.

Jamuna, who is into the poultry business, said when her husband was busy in the movement for a separate Telangana state, she used to campaign for him.

She went door-to-door and told people about various development works undertaken by her husband in the constituency.

Rajender last month resigned from the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and from his Assembly seat Huzurabad. He later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Leaders of the saffron party had said that Rajender will contest the ensuing by-election.

He was dropped from Cabinet by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao in May following allegations that he encroached lands of some farmers in Medak district for the poultry unit run by his wife and son. Rajender, however, denied the allegations and said that he is ready to face even a judicial probe into his assets.

Rajender was elected to the Assembly for four times from Huzurabad on the TRS ticket. He was first elected from the constituency in 2009 and retained the seat in the by-election held a year later.

He was elected again in 2014 and was made Finance Minister in the first TRS government. In 2018, he retained the seat and was made a minister again, but given the Health portfolio this time.