HYDERABAD: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday approved the candidature of Palvai Sravanthi Reddy, who is the daughter of former Minister and five-term MLA late, Palvai Govardhan Reddy, for the upcoming Munugode by-election. The strategy of the Congress seems to take the name of its candidate into the public much before the electoral battle.
Prior to declaring the candidate, AICC Telangana in-charge Manickam Tagore had consulted the stakeholders involved in the ensuing election and sent a consolidated report to the party chief. Based on his report, the party has finalized Sravanthi’s candidature.
Though there were several aspirants for the ticket, Sravanthi got an opportunity to contest without much effort this time. In 2018, Sravanthi was one of the aspirants, yet she was not given a ticket. In 2014, Sravanthi unsuccessfully contested defying party’s decision. However, this time Sravanthi has become the party’s pick under the current political circumstances.
Apparently, the Congress wants to reclaim the legacy of its tall leader Palvai Govardhan Reddy who held the Congress flag flying for five terms in the electoral battle in the Munugode constituency, laying a strong foundation for the party.
The survey reports submitted by the party’s poll strategist is learnt to have tipped the scales in Sravanthi’s favour. Interestingly, Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy is learnt to have suggested Sravanthi’s candidature during his interaction with party high command and during interaction with CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka. As of now, there seems to be no opposition over the candidature of Sravanthi. With the rival BJP and Congress declaring their candidates, it is to be seen whom TRS will favour with ticket for the crucial election.