HYDERABAD: Expressing confidence that the party will win 95 to 105 of the 119 Assembly seats in the State, BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday announced the names of 115 candidates.
Signalling that he does not see any anti-incumbency, a combative KCR replaced only seven sitting MLAs with new faces while keeping the names of candidates for Narsapur, Nampally, Goshamahal and Jangaon Assembly segments on hold.
Notably, KCR will contest from two segments, Gajwel which he currently represents, and Kamareddy. “KCR is strong in Gajwel. He is contesting from Kamareddy only to strengthen the party and see that all the seats in erstwhile Nizamabad district are wrested by the BRS,” a party leader explained. KCR’s daughter and MLC K Kavitha is likely to contest for the Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency again. Announcing the candidates much before the election schedule allows the party time to minimise the damage if there is any dissidence in any segment, and also gives it a head start in campaigning.
The BRS will be going to the electorate on the plank of development. Recently, KCR announced several sops for different sections, launched new schemes and also assured hiking of Aasara pension for around 40 lakh beneficiaries, creating a ‘feel-good’ atmosphere.
He released the list at the fixed muhurtham of 2.38 PM in Dhanur Lagnam at Telangana Bhavan. The BRS is expected to release its manifesto on October 16 at the Simha Garjana public meeting to be held in Warangal.
While releasing the list, KCR exuded confidence that the BRS would win 29 Assembly segments in erstwhile Rangareddy and Hyderabad districts “with the support of friendly AIMIM”. “We are not considering any party as our main rival as we are confident of winning 95 to 105 seats. The question of main rival does not arise,” he said.
KCR said that a committee headed by party secretary-general K Keshava Rao would discuss with aspirants and sort out the issues if there was any dissidence. KCR, however, cautioned the disappointed aspirants not to spoil their political careers by taking any drastic decisions.
Left in the lurch
Though it was expected that the BRS would forge an alliance with the Left parties, the BRS did not allocate any seats to the CPI or CPM. The reason, according to sources, is that the Left is sailing with Congress at the national level.
Ex-Dy CM Rajaiah, Chennamaneni miss the bus
KCR, who is expanding the BRS across the country, wanted to send a message to the people of other States, especially Maharashtra, that the BRS is maintaining equidistance from both Congress and the BJP. Meanwhile, Vemulawada MLA Chennamaneni Ramesh was replaced with Chalmeda Lakshmi Narasimha Rao, as the sitting MLA Ramesh has been fighting a legal battle against his citizenship.
Controversial MLA from Station Ghanpur and former deputy chief minister T Rajaiah too was dropped, with KCR opting for another former deputy CM, K Srihari from the segment.
The party fielded sitting MLA Vanama Venkateswara Rao from Kothagudem, though the High Court announced his election in 2018 from the segment null and void for submitting a false affidavit to ECI. Tellam Venkat Rao, who recently joined the BRS from the Congress got Bhadrachalam (ST) ticket. Several sitting MLAs were dropped in Adilabad only to strengthen the party there, sources said.
TPCC chief A Revanth Reddy had earlier dared KCR to declare the candidature of all sitting MLAs. “We have conducted a series of surveys. We have feedback and decided to field all, except seven,” KCR said.