HYDERABAD: The BRS, which announced a whopping 114 candidates in its first list for the recent Assembly elections, is now facing a situation that its most strident critic could not have ever imagined — the party is struggling to even find candidates to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections on its behalf.
Having lost power, the party faces an uphill — some say existential — battle to assert its presence in state politics and make an impact in Parliament.
BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao has chaired preparatory meetings for the upcoming elections where he reviewed the party’s standing in Karimnagar, Peddapalli, Khammam, Mahabubabad and Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha constituencies and announced five candidates for these seats.
But it is the remaining 12 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state where the pink party is facing a tough time zeroing in on the candidates, especially as its sitting MPs have defected to the BJP or to the Congress. Adding to the woes of the BRS leadership, senior leaders, including former ministers and MLAs, are showing a lack of interest in contesting.
Sitting MP Ranjith Reddy’s reluctance to contest from Chevella has prompted discussions in the party about fielding him from Medak. Ranjith Reddy remains uninterested in this seat too. A similar situation is prevailing in Zaheerabad and Nagarkurnool, where sitting BRS MPs joined the BJP. The BRS supremo sprang a surprise and announced an alliance with the BSP, and is likely to back the candidature of his alliance party for the Nagarkurnool seat. KCR’s decision to leave the Nagarkurnool seat for BSP’s RS Praveen Kumar caught leaders of his own party by surprise and the cadre demoralised.
In Adilabad, the decision of former MP Godem Nagesh to join the BJP and contest on behalf of the saffron party is yet another blow to the BRS. In Warangal, sitting MP Pasunuri Ravinder has said that he will discuss whether or not he should contest with his followers. This is a clear indication that he is not interested in contesting again.
KCR is reportedly in favour of fielding Aruri Ramesh or Kadiyam Kavya from the seat, but Ramesh is reportedly in touch with the BJP. This has thrown a spanner in the BRS plans for the Warangal seat.
The BRS also faces a challenge in identifying a winning horse for the Nizamabad Lok Sabha seat, once represented by the BRS chief’s daughter K Kavitha. The MLC is reportedly disinclined to contest for the Lok Sabha seat. There is speculation that former MLA Bajireddy Goverdhan may be asked to contest, but sources say that he too is not interested.
In Bhongir, former MLA Pailla Shekar Reddy too has expressed disinterest, leaving the party pondering over the candidature of Jitta Balakrishna Reddy.
In Nalgonda, it was expected that Legislative Council Chairman Gutta Sukhendar Reddy would push for the ticket for his son. However, Sukhender Reddy has said that his son would not contest. In Medak, sitting MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy was elected to the Assembly. KCR had promised the Lok Sabha ticket to former MLA Madhan Reddy. However, the party is reportedly discussing the candidature of an MLC and former IAS officer Venkatram Reddy. However, not many leaders are enthusiastic about contesting for the Lok Sabha on BRS tickets.
In fact, BRS insiders say that many former ministers and sitting MLAs are wary of contesting and are thinking about how to refuse the party high command if asked to do so.
The lack of financial assistance for Lok Sabha candidates is also one of the reasons that has made leaders reluctant to contest and demoralising party cadre. This is but one of the many challenges faced by the BRS leadership ahead of the upcoming elections.