In 1967, the communists, divided into CPI and CPM (called Right and Left communists then), failed to win a single LS seat for the first time in the Telangana region since 1952. They came a cropper even in Nalgonda district, where they had won both the seats in 1962
The number of seats in the Telangana region came down to 14 from 15 in 1957 and 1962. Gadwal, Vicarabad and Mahabubabad were replaced by Nagarkurnool (SC) and Siddipet (SC). Sangam Lakshmi Bai, the first woman MP from the Telangana region, had won in 1957 and 1962. She was victorious from Medak in 1967. INC’s T Lakshmi Kantamma won for the second time from Khammam
1967: Cong sweeps TG region, divided communists bag a duck
In 1967, the Congress swept the Telangana region again, its tally remaining unchanged at 13 seats. M Chenna Reddy, who did not contest the LS polls, was sworn in as minister for steel, mines and metals in the Indira Gandhi Cabinet
Independent who raised Telangana statehood issue in LS
The only seat that the Congress failed to win was Nizamabad. M Narayana Reddy, who became one of the first parliamentarians to raise the issue of a separate Telangana in Lok Sabha, won as an independent there. His relative A Indrakaran Reddy later became a minister in the state
There were a number of former royals who stood as candidates in the LS and Assembly polls. One of them, Janumpally Rameshwar Rao, raja of Wanaparthy samasthanam, had won on a Congress ticket from Mahbubnagar in 1957 and Gadwal in 1962. With Mahbubnagar no longer a reserved constituency in 1967, he shifted there and emerged victorious for the third time
With inputs from Manda Ravinder Reddy
Research: Amrutha Kothapally