Hyderabad : With the Telangana Assembly elections swiftly approaching, the ruling party, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), continues to grapple with uncertainties over candidate selections for four crucial constituencies, sparking anticipation and speculation as the election date draws near.
Despite being at the forefront in the early announcement of candidates and an active campaign, the delay in revealing the candidates for these four key seats has created a sense of confusion and suspense, both within the party ranks and among the public.
It’s worth noting that the BRS President and Chief Minister, K. Chandrasekhar Rao, had unveiled candidates for 115 out of 119 constituencies on August 21, an impressive 45 days ahead of the official election schedule announcement.
KCR, harboring the confidence of securing a hat-trick, retained the majority of the incumbent legislators. However, eight sitting MLAs were denied party tickets in various constituencies, including the high-profile Kamareddy, which CM KCR plans to contest in addition to Gajwel, his present constituency.
Sitting MLA Mynampalli Hanumantha Rao was initially renominated from the Malkajgiri constituency but later severed ties with the party. His decision stemmed from the party’s rejection of his request for a ticket for his son, Rohith Rao, to contest from Medak. The father-son duo subsequently switched to the Congress, where they are now fielded in Malkajgiri and Medak, respectively.
The BRS has since replaced Hanumantha Rao with Marri Rajasekhara Reddy as its candidate for Malkajgiri. Rajasekhar Reddy, who is the son-in-law of Labour Minister Malla Reddy, had previously contested from Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency in 2019 as a BRS candidate but was unsuccessful.
In the Jangaon constituency, one of the areas where the BRS has not yet unveiled its candidates, sitting MLA Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy expressed his strong desire for the party to retain him as the candidate. Concurrently, MLC P. Rajeshwar Reddy is keen on entering the electoral race. An agreement was eventually reached, with the BRS appointing Yadagiri Reddy as the Chairman of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC), while Rajeshwar Reddy was provided the B-form by the party.
The remaining three constituencies of Narsapur, Goshamahal, and Nampally also await the BRS’s candidate announcements.
In the Nampally constituency in Hyderabad, AIMIM and Congress are locked in a direct battle. The BRS is reportedly contemplating the name of a candidate who could potentially affect Congress’s chances, thus indirectly aiding their alliance partner, AIMIM.
Numerous contenders vying for party tickets in Narsapur and Goshamahal have posed a challenge for the BRS leadership in making their selections.
To prevent last-minute nomination confusion, the BRS has opted to distribute B-forms to candidates well in advance of the official notification date. So far, the party has already distributed nominations to 109 candidates.
However, for the six seats currently held by AIMIM – Charminar, Yakutpura, Chandrayangutta, Karwan, Malakpet, and Bahadurpura – the BRS is yet to issue B-forms.
In the Alampur (SC) constituency, while the BRS initially decided to field sitting MLA V. M. Abraham, mounting demands from rival factions within the party have led the party leadership to consider potential changes. MLC Challa Venkatrami Reddy, who is in charge of the elections for the constituency, is advocating for a change in the candidate selection. Furthermore, former MP Manda Jagannadham is also demanding the ticket, either for himself or for his son.
The unresolved candidate selections remain an area of keen interest and debate as the election date approaches, with the potential to significantly influence the outcome of the Telangana Assembly elections.
