HYDERABAD: Both TPCC and State BJP presidents are planning to contest from one of the Assembly constituencies in the capital city Hyderabad. Currently, Lok Sabha members, both of them have come out as firebrand leaders of their respective parties in Telangana. Contesting from Hyderabad may ease pressure on them so that they can focus on other constituencies in the State and strengthen their parties.
Revanth Reddy won the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat after losing in the 2019 Assembly election in 2019 from Kodangal which he represented from 2014 to 2019. In his capacity as the TPCC chief, Revanth will have to take upon himself the responsibility of campaigning across all the major Assembly constituencies in the coming general elections.
This will leave him not much time to concentrate on his own constituency if he chooses to contest from Kodangal. If he contests from one of the constituencies in Hyderabad, travelling across the State would become easier for him to participate in canvassing for Congress candidates in the next elections. One of his close associates has reportedly suggested that he contest from LB Nagar Assembly from where he secured a majority of votes when he won the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat.
Another source from his camp stated that he is likely contesting from Medchal constituency if he gets the green signal from the party's high command. Politically, the LB Nagar constituency has predominantly voters from the Reddy community as also settlers from Nalgonda and Mahbubnagar and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. This may help Revanth Reddy in winning from the constituency.
BJP State president Bandi Sanjay, too, is said to be thinking on the same lines as Revanth Reddy though he has never tested his luck in Assembly polls. He won as Lok Sabha member for the first time from Karimnagar in 2019. Sanjay has launched Praja Sangrama Yatra in his determination to strengthen BJP and ensure its victory in the coming Assembly elections. To free himself from the heavy burden and focus on the victory of BJP’s other candidates in the State, he is thinking of shifting his base to Hyderabad and contesting from one of the constituencies.
Like his rival Revanth Reddy, Sanjay is also planning to contest from the LB Nagar constituency where BJP all the divisions in the GHMC elections. Traditionally, BJP has a strong base in Hyderabad, but till now it has never won LB Nagar seat.
To overcome logistical problems, Sanjay is planning to contest from LB Nagar. Karimnagar, Vemulawada and Husnabad Assembly seats were under his consideration but after the GHMC and Huzurabad bypoll, he changed his mind. There is every likelihood of his fighting the Assembly poll from LB Nagar which gives him ample time to focus on South Telangana districts where the party is in a weak position.
The political scenario in urban constituencies is different compared to rural areas. Political leaders will have to do more work in rural areas. Especially for party presidents, it is more important to concentrate across the State. If they have less pressure in their own constituencies, they can tour across the State.