Congress begins selection of candidates for Telangana

• Jaipal likely to be fielded from Mahabubnagar
• Vittal Reddy, sitting MP, to go to Assembly
• Karthik Reddy, Laxma Reddy vie for Chevella
• If Karthik gets Lok Sabha ticket, Sabitha may not get Assembly ticket
• Ponnala eyes Bhongir LS, Komatireddy says no
• TPCC chief also canvasses ticket for daughter-in-la
• VH seeks to take on Kishan from Amberpet

New Delhi/Hyderabad: With no possibility of any electoral understanding between the Congress and the TRS, the Congress party has embarked on the exercise to finalise the list of party candidates for Lok Sabha and Assembly.

The Congress screening committee, which began its two-day meeting here on Saturday, held one-on-one talks with all aspirants and probable candidates for Lok Sabha so that it could take a final decision and announce the list within a week’s time. It is said the high command wants to make some MPs contest for Assembly and infuse young blood into the party for Lok Sabha.

According to sources, the party has almost decided to shift Union Science and Technology Minister S Jaipal Reddy from Chevella to Mahabubnagar Lok Sabha seat. Incidentally, Mahabubnagar happens to the home district of Jaipal Reddy. It is learnt the party has convinced D Vittal Rao, the sitting MP, to go to Assembly. The two main aspirants for Chevella Lok Sabha seat are Medchal MLA K Lakshma Reddy and P Karthik Reddy, son of former home minister Sabitha Reddy. If Karthik gets LS ticket, then Sabitha may not be given Assembly ticket. She at present represents Maheswaram Assembly constituency.

For the Khammam parliamentary constituency, the key contenders are film star-turned-politician Vijayashanti, who recently joined the Congress from the TRS. Among other contenders are former Union Minister Renuka Chowdhury and former AICC Secretary P Sudhakar Reddy. However, Vijayashanti had give up Medak as her first preference.

TPCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah is understood to have opted to contest for the Lok Sabha from Bhongir in place of Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy. But Rajagopal Reddy expressed his desire to seek re-election from this seat. Ponnala is also said to have sought a seat for his daughter-in-law from Jangaon Assembly constituency.

Rajya Sabha MP Nandi Yellaiah is learnt to have asked the screening committee not to give Medak Lok Sabha seat to those who joined the party recently.

Instead, he is said to have recommended the name of B Narsa Goud and G Someshwar Reddy. Rajya Sabha MP V Hanumantha Rao sought nomination from Amberpet Assembly constituency Hyderabad against BJP president G Kishan Reddy.

Congress sources claim that the screening committee has cleared the names for some Assembly seats which includes Athram Sakku (Asifabad -ST), Sudershan Reddy (Bodhan), Duddilla Sridhar Babu (Manthani), SC) Arepalli Mohan (Manakondur), Aligireddy Praveen Reddy (Husnabad), Patlolla Kista Reddy (Narayankhed), C Damodar Raja Narsimha (Andole,SC), Vakiti Sunitha Laxmareddy (Narsapur ) (SC) J Geetha Reddy(Zaheerabad), T Jayaprakash Reddy (Sangareddy), T Nandeshwar Goud (Patancheru), and Cheruku Muthyam Reddy (Dubbaka).

Tumkunta Narsa Reddy (Gajwel), A Rajender (Malkajgiri),Sudheer Reddy Devireddy (Lal Bahadur Nagar), G.Prasad Kumar ( Vikaradab, SC), Danam Nagender (Khairatabad), P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy (Jubilee Hills) Marri Shashidhar Reddy (Sanath Nagar),M Mukesh Goud (Goshamahal), P.Sankar Rao (Secunderabad Cantonment), Aruna D.K (Gadwal), Abraham.V.M (Alampur,SC), Kunduru Jana Reddy (Nagarjuna Sagar), Nalamada Uttam Kumar Reddy( Huzurnagar),R.Damodar Reddy (Suryapet) Chirumarthy Lingaiah (Nakrekal, SC), Baswaraju Saraiah (Warangal East),Kondeti Sridhar (Wardhanapet ,SC),Gandra Venkata Ramana Reddy ( Bhupalpalle) and Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu (Madira, SC).