HYDERABAD: The BRS leadership will likely face a tough time in several Assembly segments in the State as there are too many aspirants vying for party tickets. Even though party supremo and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced that all sitting MLAs will be renominated, many aspirants are visiting their constituencies in the hope that they might be favoured when tickets are finalised.
The ruling party is facing a problem with the MLAs who joined the BRS from the Congress, posing a threat to the original BRS leaders who have been nursing their constituency in the hope that they might be fielded in the coming elections.
After 12 Congress MLAs “merged” with the BRS, pink party leaders in these constituencies are worried whether they would get tickets. This has led to groupism in the party.
In erstwhile Karimnagar district, Vemulawada Assembly segment presents a scene of stiff competition between sitting MLA Ch Ramesh Babu and aspirant Chelmada Lakshminarayana Rao. Both of them are touring the constituency extensively to endear themselves to the people. Market Committee former chairman Anugu Manohar Reddy is also in the race for the party nomination as he has been serving the party for several years.
In Manakoduru, former MLA Arepally Mohan and Food Safety Commission member Voruganti Anand are in the race for the ticket while sitting MLA Rasamai Balakishan is already there in the forefront.
In Peddapalli Assembly segment, sitting MLA D Manohar Reddy and another leader Nalla Manohar Reddy are trying to influence the party leadership in their favour.
Koushik in the mix
In Huzurabad, where MLC P Koushik Reddy is expecting a ticket but Gellu Srinivas, who fought and lost to Eatala Rajender in the recent byelection, is also trying to get party nomination. After IT Minister K T Rama Rao praised Koushik Reddy at a public meeting in Huzurabad constituency, there is speculation that he would be the party nominee for the seat.
In Chennur, in erstwhile Adilabad district, the party is facing the problem of multiple aspirants. Sitting MLA Balka Suman has to watch out for former MLA Nallala Odelu who is trying his best to get a party ticket this time. Odelu returned to BRS in a few days after joining the Congress recently. The Odelu camp is under the impression that he returned to BRS after an assurance from the party that he would be the nominee.
In Boath, the tussle is between sitting MLA Rathod Babu Rao and former MP Gedam Nagesh. The former MP came into active politics and even took in active interest in the Nanded public meeting which KCR had addressed.
In Asifabad, sitting MLA Atram Sakku who won on a Congress ticket and joined BRS later, is expecting the ticket while former MLA and ZP chairperson Kova Lakshmi is also eyeing a party nomination for the Assembly seat.
In the Chief Minister’s native district, trouble seems to be brewing with one too many aspirants for Dubbaka Assembly seat. MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy and former MLA Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy’s family are expecting the ticket. The MP who is serving as BRS district president is touring the constituency.
Medak is also proving to be difficult. Malkajgiri MLA and former MLA of Medak Mynampally Hanumanta Rao has shifted his focus to Medak where he wants to field his son on a BRS ticket.
Patnam vs Pilot
In erstwhile Rangareddy district, former minister Patnam Mahender Reddy, now MLC, and sitting MLA Pilot Rohit Reddy are doing their best to get the party nomination for Tandur. The party cadre are divided between the two leaders in Tandur.
In Parigi, sitting MLA Maheswar Reddy and DCCB Chairman Manohar Reddy are the frontrunners for the party nomination.In LB Nagar, sitting MLA D Sudheer Reddy is confident that the party will give him the ticket but party senior leader Ram Mohan Goud also expecting the ticket as he thinks he would be preferred as he was unalloyed BRS leader while Suhdir Reddy is a migrant from the Congress.
When it comes to Maheshwaram, Education Minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy is competing with former MLA Teegala Krishna Reddy. Sabitha, who was Congress MLA, joined the BRS, dashing the hopes of Krishna Reddy that he would easily get the Maheswaram Assembly ticket. Now he would have to outsmart her to get the ticket.
In Nalgonda, Nakrekal is generating a lot of heat as the sitting MLA and former MLA have locked horns. MLA Ch Lingaiah who won on a Congress ticket is now in BRS while former MLA Vemula Veerasham is hoping that he would get the ticket this time.
In Kollapur, in earstwhile Mahbubnagar district, former minister Jupally Krishna Rao is expecting the party ticket but sitting MLA B Harsha Vardhan Reddy is a migrant from the Congress and both camps are now trying to get the party ticket. In fact, Jupally Krishna Rao has been ill at ease over Harshavardhan Reddy’s public statements that he would get the party ticket.
STIFF COMPETITION FOR PALERU TICKET
In Nagarkurnool, MP P Ramulu is trying for the ticket for Achampet for his son but at the same time sitting MLA Guvvala Balaraju is sure of getting the party ticket this time too. Paleru in Khammam has become a hot spot lately. Sitting MLA Kandala Parthasarathy Reddy, who won on the Congress ticket but later joined the BRS, is hopeful of getting a renomination. But former minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has set his eyes on Paleru. As he has been unhappy over being marginalised, recently Finance Minister T Harish Rao met him at his residence and tried to mollify his ruffled feelings. Nageswara Rao is under the impression that he would get the party ticket this time for Paleru.