HYDERABAD: After its failure in forming the government in the 2018 Assembly elections, there has been a rising demand among Congress party workers in Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency for allotting the party’s ticket from Malkajgiri to the TPCC working president and candidate from Kodangal Assembly constituency, A Revanth Reddy.
Sources in the Congress party said that the party has lost its hold in the Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency -- the largest constituency in the country with 30.98 lakh voters, -- after its defeat in the previous Assembly polls in all segments that constitute the Parliamentary constituency.
Now, the party workers here want to bank on Revanth Reddy’s popularity while facing TRS’ candidate, regardless of the fact that Reddy lost in the recently concluded Assembly election. Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister, Sarve Satyanarayana, who won twice from Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency and lost in 2014, has decided not to contest in the upcoming general elections.
In the 2014 general elections, the present Medchal MLA from TRS party, Ch Malla Reddy, had contested and won from the Malkajgiri Parliamentary constituency on the TDP ticket with 5,23,336 votes, whereas, Satyanarayana could only garner 2,33,711 votes securing third place after TRS party’s Mynampally Harumantha Rao who got 4,94,965 votes .
Speaking to Express, Satyanarayana said, “I am not contesting in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The party high command had offered me the ticket but I have told them that I am not interested in contesting.” He added, “I will support anyone who contests from Congress party.”
TPCC General Secretary, Manne Krishank, said, “It is expected that Congress party high command will be giving ticket to Revanth Reddy from Malkajgiri parliamentary constituency. Within one or two days the party high command will release list of candidates for the state.”
He said, “If Revanth Reddy contests, then it would prove beneficial for the party in Malkajgiri. Former MP Malla Reddy had contested on TDP ticket in 2014 and won. As Reddy was also in TDP earlier, it might work in favour.”