HYDERABAD: The race for Congress ticket for the upcoming Karimnagar-Adilabad-Nizamabad-Medak graduates constituency MLC election is heating up.
As sitting MLC T Jeeva Reddy’s term will end in March next year, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has begun the process for enrolment of graduates in the voters’ list.
Taking the cue, the Congress ticket aspirants have intensified their efforts to be in the good books of the party's high command to land the ticket.
As things stand now, Jeevan Reddy’s chances of getting the ticket are bright. The party high command had already made a promise to him to this effect at the time
Jagtial sitting BRS MLA M Sanjay Kumar joined the Congress.
Jeevan Reddy opposed Sanjay’s entry into the Congress afraid that it would lead to dilution of his importance in the constituency. He had even indicated that he would chart his own course if Sanjay was taken into the party. The party, to mollify him, promised the ticket to prevent him from slipping away from the Congress.
But there are others too in the Congress who are eyeing the ticket. For instance, Velchala Rajender Rao, who contested unsuccessfully in the Lok Sabha polls from Karimnagar, has thrown his hat in the ring. He reportedly has the support of Transport Minister Ponnam Prabahakr. Rajender Rao has already visited Delhi a few times and lobbied for the ticket.
Besides these two leaders, an educationist from Karimnagar is also trying his luck. Alphores Educational Institution chairman V Narender Reddy from Karimnagar has already announced his interest in contesting the election on Congress ticket. The development is making the camps of the other two leaders uncomfortable as he has considerable influence in the party at Delhi.
He joined the Congress in 2018 but has remained a little inactive politically. He hopes to land the ticket for the graduates’ constituency since he himself is an educationist. He is also in touch with those who are close to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.