HYDERABAD: The BRS has launched a damage control exercise after the Congress seemed to be taking advantage of the fact that the ruling party has not given enough representation to the BCs in allotting tickets for the upcoming Assembly polls. As the Congress begins its exercise to allot tickets to the Mudiraj community, who are numerically strong in Telangana, the BRS is now trying to make amends by contemplating to keep the community in good humour by offering government sinecures.
Meanwhile, the Congress is trying to identify the right Mudiraju community candidates for the Narayanpet, Patancheru and Tandur Assembly segments. In Narayanpet, former MLA Erra Shekar, who belongs to the Mudiraj community, might get the ticket.
In Patancheru, Neelam Madhu, who expected the BRS ticket is unhappy with the party leadership for renominating the sitting MLA.
Chairman post
Congress senior leaders are wooing Madhu to join their ranks. On the other hand, Chief Minister and BRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, called Madhu to Pragati Bhavan on Tuesday along with Finance Minister T Harish Rao and Deputy Chairman of Telangana Legislative Council Banda Prakash Mudiraj. Sources stated that Neelam Madhu Mudiraj is likely to be nominated as chairman of a corporation.
The Congress leadership is also trying to onboard a Mudiraj leader for Tandur where the community has a strong presence. While this is so, Munnuru Kapus are demanding tickets for at least three to four Assembly seats. The community organised a plenary in Hyderabad two days ago demanding a fair representation to them in the allotment of tickets. The Munnuru Kapu Sangham demanded that the Congress allot Karimnagar seat to their leader as the BJP and BRS are fielding their caste men from the segment.
BRS candidate from Karimnagar is Minister Gangula Kamalakar and the BJP nominee would be the party general secretary and MP, Bandi Sanjay Kumar. The leaders requested the Congress high command to allocate Karimnagar ticket to Mahesh Konagala. The community also wants the allotment of Adilabad ticket to Gandrath Sujata who is a potential candidate. The BRS is fielding sitting MLA Jogu Ramanna who is also a Munnuru Kapu.
Threat to Congress
Mudiraj and Munnuru Kapu associations recently passed resolutions and submitted copies of them to the Congress urging it to allot tickets to them. They handed out a threat to the Congress that if it does not concede its demand, it could count out their support.
On the other hand, the Goud community leaders in the Congress are also seeking their pound of flesh. They want allotment of LB Nagar to Madhu Yaskhi, Husnabad for Ponnam Prabhakar and Nizamabad Urban for Mahesh Kumar Goud.
Munnuru Kapus’ demand
The Munnuru Kapu Sangham representatives demanded that the Congress allot Karimnagar ticket to their leader as both the BJP and BRS are fielding their caste men from the constituency.