Cong candidates for MLC polls announced

Hyderabad: Departing from its traditional approach of announcing names solely based on internal deliberations, the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) has, this time, relied heavily on reports submitted by the new state in-charge, Meenakshi Natarajan. The party ensured that its dedicated flag-bearers were given preference for MLC seats under the MLA quota.

Of the four available seats, the Congress has allocated three to party members, while maintaining a balance in gender and caste representation. One seat has been reserved for the Communist Party of India (CPI) as part of the alliance adjustment. The selected candidates are Vijayashanti under the women’s and high command quota, Addanki Dayakar (SC), and K Shankar Naik (ST) from Nalgonda. From the CPI, Chada Venkat Reddy is expected to be the candidate.

Shankar Naik, currently the District Congress Committee (DCC) president of Nalgonda, is a well-known leader with strong grassroots connections. He played a crucial role in the last Assembly elections, making his selection a strategic move by the party.

Given the large number of aspirants, including senior leaders like V Hanumantha Rao, Shabbir Ali, and Mallesh, the party sought a detailed report from Meenakshi Natarajan. She reportedly recommended that tickets be allotted to committed party leaders rather than lateral entrants. Her recommendations were subsequently discussed by the AICC under the leadership of party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Previously, this responsibility was handled by K C Venugopal.

Vijayashanti recently met Kharge, reminding him of the assurance given to her by his predecessor, Manik Rao Thakre, when she joined the party. Party insiders believe that her entry into the Legislative Council will strengthen the Congress’s ability to counter the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), both within the Council and in public discourse, where her strong oratory skills can effectively challenge BRS leader K Chandrasekhar Rao.

Initially, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and the Congress leadership considered accommodating the CPI in the future due to the high number of aspirants. However, after persistent requests from the CPI, the party decided to allocate one seat to the alliance partner.

Dayakar’s selection was almost certain, as he had missed several opportunities in the past. Additionally, senior Congress leader K Jana Reddy strongly recommended Kethavath Shankar Naik’s candidature.

The last date for filing nominations is March 10, and if elections are required, they will be held on March 20.