Tricky situation in Tandur

Tandur: With the caretaker minister and TRS candidate Patnam Mahendar Reddy touring the constituency, he in a way has set the pace for the ensuing elections. Riding high on the popularity of the TRS government and its welfare schemes, Patnam sounds confident of winning the seat. While he has been meeting people and waxing eloquent on the government’s welfare schemes, the recent comeback of Congress party senior leader Ramesh Malkud has resulted in an interesting twist to the political scenario.

Locals say that this has created a poll battle like situation in the constituency. He categorically said that he is the one and only party candidate to contest in forthcoming elections. In the meanwhile, Ramesh said that he would be visiting USA for a health check up and renew campaign afresh. Political observers said that with his comeback not only ticket aspirants in Congress party but also leaders in other parties are worrying about their winning prospectus in the poll.

When State Congress leaders during their bus tour announced Ramesh Malkud’s candidature, other aspirants in the party have become jittery. Ramesh has had health problems and was in hibernation for a while. Ramesh’s family maintains that the 40 year-old association with the party should help him win. Such is the sway over the locals that people add a suffix ‘maharaj’ to the family members. It is believed that Sampath Kumar is another aspirant for Congress ticket. Both Ramesh and Sampath Kumar belonged to same community. Sampath’s another advantage is his wife Sunitha is the municipal chairperson.

A royal battle is in the cards, as both hail from the same community. Adding flavour to the political scene is the young aspirant, Rohit Reddy for congress ticket. Earlier he started an organisation called Young Leaders Foundation and toured the constituency with a call to youngsters to enter in to politics. He recently joined the Congress party and has been making efforts in getting the ticket. Former DCCB chairman, party senior leader Lakshma Reddy is also in the fray. In his 30-year-old political career, he handled posts from sarpanch to municipal chairman.

Telugu Desam Party, political observers feel that, when the present caretaker minister Patnam Mahendar Reddy switched his loyality from TDP to TRS and most of the party followed his path, only seniors counted on finger tips are sailing with the yellow party. Raju Goud is working as TDP constituency in charge but his candidature depends on Congress led grand alliance, where his party also one of the members.

But he made an argument with caste equations. According to Raju Goud, only leaders from Reddy and Scheduled Caste communities would get a chance to bag Congress party tickets from Kodangal, Parigi and Vikarabad constituencies. He requested grand alliance to consider his candidature, representing BCs, from Tandur on TDP ticket. He cautioned the party to get at least one seat from the district otherwise it will become dangerous to TDP’s existence.

For Bharatiya Janatha Party, Uppari Ramesh Kumar and an NRI, Ravishankar are said to be the main aspirants for party ticket. Ramesh Kumar already started poll campaign by talking about Narendra Modi goverment’s public welfare and development schemes. He has been knocking each every door in the constituency in an effort to garner votes in the poll. According to party sources, Ravishankar is ready to propose his wife Jayasree’s name if party high-command reject his candidature.

It is believed that Telangana Jana Samithi district convener Srisail Reddy is expecting TJS ticket where as CPI (M) secretary Srinivas is the key aspirant for Bahujan Left Front (BLF). Political observers said that when the grand alliance announced its candidate, there may be drastic changes on political arena of the constituency.