Karimnagar BJP sees a rosy picture

Karimnagar: Albeit it’s not all that easy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senses a rosy picture in the erstwhile Karimnagar district as it gears up for the ensuing Assembly elections.

The BJP ticket aspirants, who hitherto were in a sort of dilemma over their party’s stand towards the TRS, seem to be on a high and rearing to go ever since their national president Amit Shah cleared the air that party would go it alone in the ensuing Assembly elections.

The erstwhile Karimnagar district, which has 13 Assembly constituencies, may not be a bastion for the BJP, but it has a proven record in the region. BJP won Karimnagar Lok Sabha seat twice (1998 and 1999), besides emerging victorious in Metpally and Peddapally several times.

It may be noted here that Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao won Lok Sabha twice and Assembly thrice. In 1999, Gujjula Ramakrishna Reddy (Peddapally) and Thummala Venkata Ramana Reddy (Metpalli) were elected from the party.

In 2014, while Bandi Sanjay who contested from Karimnagar stood second to winner Gangula Kamalakar (TRS), Aadi Srinivas lost narrowly to Chennamaneni Ramesh Babu. Despite its proven record in the district, the saffron party failed to expand its base in the region as one would have desired.

With Amit Shah, who sounded the poll bugle in Mahbubnagar campaign opener on September 15, stating that party would contest all the 119 seats in the State, the aspirants intensified their lobbying for tickets.

Although it’s not all that easy to dent the stronghold of the TRS which won 12 out of 13 in the erstwhile district in 2014 elections, the BJP leaders seems to be confident.

However, there are quite a few ticket aspirants for all the constituencies, it’s learnt that Karimnagar district president Kotha Srinivas Reddy (Husnabad), Bandi Sanjay (Karimnagar), Gujjula Ramakrishna Reddy (Peddapally) and Kannam Anjaiah (Dharmapuri) seem to be frontrunners to get tickets.

The names doing rounds for other constituencies are… Choppadandi: Lingampally Shankar and Korivi Venugopal; Sircilla: Mahila Morcha State president Akula Vijaya, ex-municipal chairman Adepu Ravinder and Merugu Hemanth Goud; Vemulawada: Rajanna-Sircilla district president Prathapa Ramakrishna, Dasharatha Reddy, K Gopal Reddy and A Srinivasa Rao; Manakondur:Gaddam Nagaraju, K Ganapathi and Kazipeta Lingaiah; Huzurabad: B Raji Reddy and Katanguri Anil Reddy; Ramagundam: B Vanitha and Koushik Hari; Manthani: NV Subhash and Chandupatla Sunil Reddy; Jagtial: Mudiganti Ravinder Reddy and Morapally Satyanarayana Rao; Koratla: District president B Bhaskar, P Aruna, Surabhi Bhoo Rao. Shikari Ramakrishna who recently joined the BJP is also aspiraing for ticket.

Speaking to The Hans India, BJP Kisan Morcha national general secretary Polsani Sugunakar Rao said: “In addition to our cadre strength, party is expected to benefit in the upcoming triangular contest. Once the Congress’ list is out, quite a few dissidents of that party are likely to join BJP.”

BJP official spokesperson Bandi Sanjay, who is likely to be fielded again by from Karimnagar, said: “Past record suggests that BJP has potential to do wonders in the region. All that we need to do is to make most of our cadre.”

Karimnagar district president Kotha Srinivas Reddy said: “There are quite a few leaders of both TRS and the Congress are knocking our door. The State leadership is yet to take a decision.”