HYDERABAD: As Assembly elections draw closer, Congress ticket aspirants are keeping a close watch on the activity of their rivals which is now and then leading to the occurrence of ugly scenes. The leaders who joined the grand old party are trying to connect with the people in the constituencies for which they are expecting tickets from the party’s high command. This has become an eyesore for the “resident” leaders.
When party working president and former MP Md Azharuddin went around the Jubilee Hills Assembly segment the other day, P Vishnuvardhan Reddy, who represented the constituency earlier, was unhappy as he is an aspirant for the party ticket. His supporters could not stomach Azharuddin’s intrusion into their constituency which led to arguments between the two groups leading to tension.
Vishnuvardhan Reddy’s supporters were very much upset since Azharuddin, with the backing of TPCC president A Revanth Reddy, was trying to make a foray in their leader’s constituency.
Veterans’ kids seek tickets
Meanwhile, former MLA late P Janardhan Reddy’s daughter Vijaya Reddy also joined the Congress and is expecting the ticket for Khairatabad Assembly seat. Since both of them are from the same family, only either Vijaya or Vishnu would get the ticket, party sources said. In Sanathnagar, Marri Aditya, son of former MLA Marri Shashidhar Reddy who left the party and joined the BJP, is looking to contest for the seat which his father had represented in the past. While this is so, Kota Neelima who recently joined the Congress has been touring the constituency, much to the discomfiture of Aditya.
In the erstwhile Medak district, party in-charge Cheruku Muthyam Reddy’s son Srinivasa Reddy is preparing the ground for getting party nomination to contest from Dubbak. Srinivas Reddy lost in the by-election held some time ago. Apart from him, the party spokesperson and new entrant into the party Katti Karthika is also seeking the party nomination.
In the Adilabad segment, G Sujata is working at ground level to get the ticket but new entrant Kandi Srinivas Reddy is trying to upstage her which is leading to friction between the two leaders.
In Kalwakurthy, NRI Sunkireddy Raghavender Reddy who joined the party recently is also expecting the Assembly ticket, but former MLA and AICC secretary Vamshichand Reddy is also vying for the ticket.
In Wanaparthy, Jayanth Reddy who joined the party under the leadership of former minister Jupally Krishna Rao, is expecting the nomination while former minister G Chinna Reddy is hopeful of being nominated for the seat. State Youth Congress president Shiva Sen Reddy is also in the race.
KEY COMMITTEES TO BE SET UP TO OVERSEE UPCOMING ELECTIONS
The State Congress is preparing to announce several important committees within a week. The leadership is planning to accommodate and entrust responsibilities to several senior leaders to strengthen the party organisation and rev up the cadre network. Sources said that former MP Ponnam Prabhakar, who has been upset at being ‘overlooked” is likely to be appointed chairman of the TPCC Training Wing.
Former MLC Prem Sagar Rao is likely to be appointed chairman of the AICC programmes implementation committee. The position fell vacant after A Maheswar Reddy quit the party for the BJP. D Sridhar Babu is likely to find a place in the manifesto committee, a key responsibility as the panel will draft a manifesto that should capture the imagination of the people.
The party is looking for a suitable leader to take up the assignment of the coordination committee which plays a key role during the election time. The party is considering senior leader and former minister K Jana Reddy for the position. The coordination committee chairman will have to ensure harmony in the party and differences between leaders do not affect the party’s prospects.