HYDERABAD: With just four days left for the deadline to file nomination papers for the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, the ruling Congress is yet to finalise its candidates for three key constituencies in the state.
With the filing of nominations underway and the deadline set for April 25, the delay in announcing the candidates has raised eyebrows and sparked discussions within political circles, even as the main rivals of the Congress — the BJP and BRS — have nosed ahead in the campaign.
The three constituencies — Hyderabad, Khammam, and Karimnagar — are as important to the Congress as the other 14, in light of the party’s ambitious electoral strategy dubbed “Mission 15”. However, the delay in announcing candidates for these constituencies has cast doubt over its seriousness to meet its electoral targets. The fact that some Congress leaders are openly extending support to the AIMIM in Hyderabad is not helping the party’s cause in any way.
In Hyderabad, the Congress faces stiff competition from the BJP and AIMIM. These two parties have ramped up their campaign efforts, both on the ground and in the media. In contrast, the Congress appears to be maintaining a low profile, prompting questions about its strategy.
Similarly in Karimnagar, candidates from rival parties like Bandi Sanjay of the BJP and B Vinod Kumar of BRS have been actively engaging with voters.
Meanwhile, uncertainty prevails among the Congress cadre who eagerly wait for the party leadership to announce the candidate.
The situation in Khammam is no different, with the Congress still preferring to keep its choice undisclosed as the clock ticks down to the nomination deadline.
According to sources, the party is now exploring options for the Khammam segment while it had earlier considered a leader from the Reddy community.
Asked about the delay in candidate selection, Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that this was due to an abundance of aspirants.
With the deadline fast approaching, the party cadre wait for the leadership to expedite candidate selection and give the candidates a fighting chance in Telangana.
Nominees likely to be revealed by Tuesday
The Congress, which has not yet announced its nominees for Khammam, Karimnagar and Hyderabad seats, is expected to do so before Tuesday. Sources said the party has more or less decided to field Raghuma Reddy or Mandava Venkateswara Rao from Khammam, Velichala Rajender Rao from Karimnagar and Sameer Waliullah from Hyderabad.