Congress steps up exercise to finalise graduate MLC candidates

Hyderabad: The Congress high command has intensified the exercise to select candidates for the Nalgonda–Warangal–Khammam and Hyderabad–Rangareddy–Mahbubnagar Graduate MLC constituencies, with the terms of the incumbent members set to end in March.

Chintapandu Naveen, popularly known as Teenmar Mallanna, represents the Nalgonda–Warangal–Khammam constituency, while Vani Devi, daughter of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, represents the Hyderabad–Rangareddy–Mahbubnagar constituency. Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka has been entrusted with selecting the candidate for the Nalgonda–Warangal–Khammam seat, while Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha has been assigned the task for the Hyderabad–Rangareddy–Mahbubnagar constituency.

According to party sources, the two leaders considered social equations and local political factors and finalised panels of three names each.

The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) is learnt to have forwarded the six names to AICC general secretary KC Venugopal for consideration.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is scheduled to travel to Delhi on September 29 to attend the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting. Party sources said the candidates for the two Graduate MLC seats are likely to be finalised during his visit.

Several Congress aspirants are seeking tickets for the two constituencies, with some reportedly lobbying through leaders at the State and national levels. However, with Bhatti and Rajanarsimha having forwarded three-member panels for their respective constituencies, the central leadership is expected to choose one candidate from each panel.

For the Nalgonda–Warangal–Khammam constituency, the TPCC is learnt to have recommended Sarvotham Reddy, son of former minister and late Congress leader Ram Reddy Damodar Reddy of Suryapet district; RTI Commissioner PV Srinivas; and PCC general secretary Chanagani Dayakar.

For the Hyderabad–Rangareddy–Mahbubnagar constituency, the names recommended are reportedly prominent industrialist Manne Jeevan Reddy, former PCC Media Committee chairman Sama Rammohan Reddy, and PCC spokesperson and educational institutions chairman Gouri Satish.

The official announcement is likely to be made by the end of September.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The Hans India