Bharatiya Janata Party’s Telangana unit, which is aiming more than double the Lok Sabha seats from the current four (about 10), seems to have finalised candidates for about seven seats out of the 17, going by the party grapevine, as on date.
These include State BJP president and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy from Secunderabad, former president and national general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar from Karimnagar, Dharmapuri Arvind from Nizamabad and Soyam Babu Rao from Adilabad — all sitting MPs, although there was an element of doubt on renomination of the last name for a while.
Among those confident of getting the nod are Konda Vishweshwar Reddy from Chevella, party general secretary Bangaru Shruti, daughter of former national president Bangaru Laxman from Nagarkurnool and former MP B. Narasaiah Goud from Bhongir.
Game plan?
Party sources informed that unlike the Assembly polls, many seniors have shown interest in joining the fray, hoping to get elected as they expect yet another wave in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but the top leadership in Delhi is yet to reveal the game plan.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit could have provided some clarity but since the programme got postponed, veterans, ‘party-hoppers’ and new-comers are waiting for his next halt. He will be saddled with the strange situation of many leaders vying for so called ‘safe seats’ and few takers for other constituencies.
Hot property
For instance, Malkajgiri constituency represented by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy in the last tenure, has become a hot property. Senior leader P. Muralidhar Rao wants to contest for the seat and so is former vice-president S. Malla Reddy while former MLC N. Ramchander Rao, who had unsuccessfully contested last time, is not giving up.
Former Minister Eatala Rajender has sought this constituency or alternately, Karimnagar. He has already denied issuing an ultimatum of jumping ship to the leadership if his request is not considered. A corporate school chairman, M. Komaraiah, has joined the bandwagon claiming to have connections with the Sangh Parivar for the same constituency.
Former Minister and national vice-president D.K. Aruna is expected to be a sure shot candidate from Mahabubnagar constituency, from where she had unsuccessfully contested last time. However, former MP A. Jitender Reddy is also trying to secure a ticket for himself and complicating matters. State treasurer Shantakumar is another aspirant from here.
While former Dubbak MLA M. Raghunandan Rao is keen to contest from Medak, he has a competitor in Mr. Rajender, as the party might ask him to contest from here.
Meanwhile, there is an effort to make Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti (MRPS) founder Manda Krishna Madiga contest from Warangal, which even former IPS officer Krishna Prasad is eyeing.
There is no clarity yet on candidates for Nalgonda, Zaheerabad, Mahabubabad, Hyderabad, Pedappalli and Khammam constituencies, admitted party sources.
