HYDERABAD: The exit of former MP Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy from the BJP has left the saffron party with a big headache -- to find a suitable candidate to field in the Munugode segment in the upcoming elections.However, there are quite a few leaders local to Munugode who could be considered by the party’s central leadership to contest the high-stakes segment.
G Manohar Reddy, an educationist and a second generation BJP leader who is presently serving as the party’s State vice-president, has been contesting from Munugode for the last two decades. In 2014, he managed to secure 27,434 votes, getting 16 per cent of the vote share. In 2018 elections, he secured 12,725 votes and in 2009, he got 9,185 votes.
Another leader being considered is BJP State spokesperson and State secretary S Prakash Reddy, who is an Ayurvedic doctor by profession and a native of Munugode. He is a familiar face in the social circles, mostly owing to his regular appearances in political debates on TV channels. He belongs to that strata of BJP leaders, who has been working for the party without expecting anything in return.
Both Manohar Reddy and Prakash Reddy have been associated with RSS and ABVP since their college days, and have played a key role in establishing ABVP firmly in various university campuses in the State. Another name which is coming to the picture is that of Munugode Congress leader Chelamalla Krishna Reddy, who had to yield to Congress’ candidate Palvai Sravanthi in the Munugode byelection last year.
BJP’s central leadership has been cautiously observing the fast-changing political equations in Munugode and is likely to declare its candidate on November 1, after the party’s central election committee’s meeting in Delhi.