HYDERABAD: With the last day for filing nominations ending on Monday, battle lines are drawn for the Lok Sabha polls. Most constituencies are set to see a triangular contest, with the TRS, Congress, and BJP locking horns.
The ruling TRS wants to corner all 16 LS seats (it has left Hyderabad to its ally AIMIM) since it believes a non-Congress and non-BJP government will come to power at the Centre, where it could play a big role in forming the government if it manages to bag all the seats.
For Congress, it is a desperate battle in Telangana. It believes the Central government would of a coalition headed by it, and hence, is keen on winning at least a few seats to up its national tally.
The BJP, meanwhile, wants to get a toe-hold in the state, to help the NDA return to power.
Several key leaders have jumped parties in the state, setting the stage for a fierce battle. With senior Congress leader and former minister DK Aruna now in the BJP and fighting the elections from Mahbubnagar, the BJP is pinning its hopes on the seat.
Just two more weeks till TS goes to polls
The Congress is fielding former Union minister Renuka Chowdhury from Khammam and PCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy from Nalgonda. The party leadership is optimistic about winning a handsome number of seats and is confident of bagging Malkajgiri, where Congress working president A Revanth Reddy is contesting.
The TRS, meanwhile, is confident of a clean sweep in the state, as it believes Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s mojo will do the trick for all party candidates.
Former MP Nama Nageswara Rao, who defected from the TDP to the TRS, is contesting from Khammam. Venkatesh Netha Borlakunta, who unsuccessfully contested on a Congress ticket in Chennur in the Assembly polls, is now TRS’ candidate for the Peddapalli Lok Sabha seat. DK Aruna, who left the Congress, is now the BJP’s candidate for Mahbubnagar.
Chevella sitting MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, who left the TRS, is now in the fray on a Congress ticket. Congress leader and former TRS MLA Soyam Bapu Rao is contesting on a BJP ticket for Adilabad. With just 15 days left for the campaign, several star campaigners such as PM Narendra Modi, AICC president Rahul Gandhi, BJP president Amit Shah and others are expected to tour the state.
245 Nominations rule out evms for N’bad
A whopping 245 nominations were filed in Nizamabad parliamentary constituency, forcing the EC to conduct polls for the LS seat using ballot papers instead of EVMs. As may as 8.5 lakh ballot papers would be printed for this.
A major chunk of the nominations were filed by farmers, backed by Village Development Committees (VDC), to force the Centre to set up a Turmeric Board to protect the interests of turmeric farmers, ensure a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for Turmeric, and better prices for red jowar crop.