HYDERABAD: The contest for the Adilabad-Nizamabad-Karimnagar-Medak Graduates MLC constituency is turning into an intriguing battle following some recent political developments.
While the ruling Congress holds over 20 Assembly seats in the constituency that is spread across the four above-mentioned districts, the BJP too has significant influence, with four Lok Sabha members and seven MLAs in the four districts. On the other hand, the primary Opposition BRS too enjoys considerable strength with 14 MLAs and strong second-rung leaders across the four districts.
The Congress can potentially face a major crisis in the constituency due to tensions simmering between sitting MLC T Jeevan Reddy and Jagtial MLA Sanjay Kumar who recently joined the party.
Jeevan Reddy has openly expressed his dissatisfaction over the Congress leadership welcoming BRS MLAs. He is also unhappy claiming that he and his followers have been marginalised. Also, Jeevan Reddy is reluctant to contest the election, and Congress is yet to identify an alternative candidate. This has led to unease among party workers at the grassroots level.
Meanwhile, the BJP is mobilising its resources to capture the seat, banking on the reach it enjoys due to its four MPs and seven MLAs from the four districts.
The MPs — Bandi Sanjay, Dharmapuri Arvind, Godem Nagesh, and M Raghunandan Rao — have already started efforts to court graduate voters and are busy meeting with local leaders, professionals and intellectuals seeking their support. The BJP’s victory in the Mahbubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Teachers MLC constituency has given the party added momentum as it aims to expand its influence among the graduate electorate.
The BRS, on the other hand, is also making strategic moves to secure the MLC seat, drawing on its solid vote base. The party is likely to field a promising young candidate, the final decision to be made by party president K Chandrasekhar Rao. Senior leaders, including KT Rama Rao and T Harish Rao, are actively contacting graduate voters.
Congress, despite being in power in the state, appears to be lagging in its preparations for the MLC election. The absence of directives for election-related activity has created concern among local leaders and party workers, who view the lack of engagement as a potential setback.
As the BJP and BRS gear up for an intensive campaign, Congress’s internal challenges and delayed response could impact the party’s performance in this closely watched constituency.
BJP shortlists candidates for MLC polls, sends list to high command
With the elections for one Graduates MLC and two Teachers MLC posts rapidly approaching, the BJP has turned its attention to finalising its candidates. Stating that the party is in a strong position and had earlier won the Mahbubnagar-Rangareddy-Hyderabad Teachers MLC constituency, BJP in-charge for Telangana, Sunil Bansal, has instructed MPs, MLAs, MLCs and senior leaders to focus on winning both the seats. Following Bansal’s directives, the BJP’s state leadership collected opinions on potential candidates and forwarded a list of front-runners to the national leadership for final approval.
According to party sources, the Telangana unit has shortlisted serious contenders for the two Teachers MLC and one Graduates MLC seats. For the Nizamabad-Adilabad-Medak-Karimnagar Teachers MLC seat, the party has shortlisted Mamidi Sudhakar Reddy and Malka Komuraiah as its candidates. Meanwhile, Sarvotham Reddy and Sai Reddy are the front-runners for the Nalgonda-Khammam-Warangal Teacher MLC slot, the sources said.
In the race for the Nizamabad-Adilabad-Medak-Karimnagar Graduates MLC ticket, the party has zoomed in o six leaders — Dugyala Pradeep Rao, Raghunath Babu, Sugunakar Rao, Godavari Anji Reddy, Gujjula Ramakrishna Reddy and Ranjith Mohan. The Graduates MLC ticket has drawn intense interest, as MPs and MLAs from the constituency can influence the selection process.