HYDERABAD/KARIMNAGAR: The Congress on Wednesday announced candidates for the remaining three Lok Sabha segments on the eve of the last day of filing nominations for the Lok Sabha elections.
As expected, the party nominated Velichala Rajender Rao for Karimnagar, Mohammed Waliullah for Hyderabad and Ramasahayam Raghuram Reddy for Khammam constituency. The three candidates have already filed nominations hoping for party tickets.
Interestingly, Raghuram Reddy is a close relative of minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and film actor Daggubati Venkatesh who hails from the dominant Kamma community in the district.
It appears that the party strategically chose him expecting him to bag the votes of both Reddy and Kamma communities in the constituency.
Meanwhile, the Congress reportedly pacified Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka who lobbied the Khammam seat for his wife before finalising the name of Raghurama Reddy.
The party also announced the candidature of Chinthapandu Naveen, who goes with the sobriquet of Theenmar Mallanna, for upcoming byelection for Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda graduates constituency. Out of the 17 Lok Sabha seats, the Congress gave tickets to seven Reddy candidates, one each from Velama, Adivasi, Lambada and Muslim communities and three each from SC and BC castes.
Aligireddy too files nomination
Two days after Rajender Rao filed his nomination papers as the Congress candidate from Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency, former MLA Aligireddy Praveen Reddy too submitted his papers on Wednesday.
On behalf of Praveen, his follower Managa Ramachandram filed a set of nomination papers, leaving the party cadre in a state of confusion.
Meanwhile, Rajender Rao’s wife Rekha filed two sets of nomination papers on Wednesday.
Praveen reportedly asked his follower to file nomination on his behalf a day after Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar said that Rajender Rao filed his papers only receiving the approval of the AICC.
Speaking to TNIE, a supporter of Praveen said: “During the Assembly elections, Praveen aspired for Husnabad ticket. But the party promised to give him an MLC post or allot ticket for the Karimnagar Lok Sabha constituency.”
It may be mentioned here that the Husnabad ticket was allotted to Ponnam Prabhakar. Meanwhile, Rajender Rao has intensified his campaign in the constituency. His wife Rekha too is carrying out door-to-door campaign in villages across the Karimnagar mandal.