HYDERABAD: The Telangana Congress is grappling with the challenging task of shortlisting candidates for the upcoming MLAs quota MLC elections. With a surge of aspirants vying for nominations, the selection process has become a tightrope walk for AICC state in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan, TPCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
Senior leaders tasked with shortlisting candidates are under significant pressure as they must weigh multiple factors, including caste representation, youth inclusion, and rewarding party loyalists. The process has sparked intense lobbying, particularly from OBC leaders who feel they were sidelined in the distribution of MLA tickets and nominated posts.
Leaders from the Munnuru Kapu, Yadav, Mudiraj and Goud communities are seeking MLC nominations. Prominent Munnuru Kapu leaders like V Hanumantha Rao and Mahesh Kongala are urging the party to address their community’s under-representation, especially compared to the BRS, which they claim is more inclusive.
For the Yadav community, TPCC working president Anjan Kumar Yadav and Charan Koushik Yadav are among those lobbying for a nomination. However, with Anil Kumar Yadav already nominated to the Rajya Sabha, leaders from other OBC groups are opposing Anjan Kumar Yadav’s candidacy.
State Mahila Congress chief too eyes nomination
Meanwhile, former MP Madhu Yaskhi and other Goud leaders are making a case for their inclusion. However, their prospects appear dim, as B Mahesh Kumar Goud, belonging to their community, has already been appointed as TPCC president and is also an MLC.
The Mudiraj community is also in the race, though their chances seem limited. Makthal MLA Vakaati Srihari, a Mudiraj leader, is expected to join the state Cabinet, potentially reducing the community’s representation in the MLC nominations. State Mahila Congress president Sunitha Rao is another aspirant from this group.
Within the Reddy community, senior leaders like T Jeevan Reddy and G Chinna Reddy are vying for nominations. Jeevan Reddy, a sitting MLC, is seeking re-nomination based on a prior party promise.
However, his candidacy faces opposition from other Reddy leaders, who argue that he has already been given multiple opportunities, including MLA and MP tickets in recent elections.
G Chinna Reddy, currently chairman of the State Planning Board, is also in contention. However, party members question whether he should receive another nomination while holding an important position.
Chief Minister’s Adviser Vem Narender Reddy and confidant Faheem Qureshi are also hopeful for MLC nominations. However,
Narender Reddy’s chances seem slim due to his existing advisory role. Similarly, Qureshi, who heads the Telangana Minorities Residential Educational Institutions Society, may not be accommodated, as his position is already a nominated post. Another advisor, Mohammad Ali Shabbir, is also eyeing a nomination.
Party considering ‘one leader, one post’ policy
Amid these deliberations, the party high command is considering a “one leader, one post” policy, which could limit the chances of those already holding positions. There is also a push to bring in younger leaders who can contribute to the party’s long-term growth, potentially opening doors for fresh faces who have yet to receive electoral opportunities.
From the SC community, Congress spokesperson Addanki Dayakar and AICC secretary SA Sampath Kumar are hopeful of MLC nominations. Sampath Kumar, who lost in the 2023 Assembly elections, was recently reappointed as an AICC secretary, but Dayakar is making a strong case for his own nomination.
Among ST leaders, Vijaya Bai from the erstwhile Khammam district is a prominent contender, having missed out on an Assembly ticket in the last election. Leaders like Ramulu Naik and Bellaiah Naik are also aspiring for MLC nomination, though both currently hold nominated posts.
Senior leaders, including former working president Jetti Kusum Kumar and senior vice-president Kumar Rao, are also seeking nominations after being overlooked in previous ticket distributions.
With so many contenders in the fray, the selection process has become increasingly complex. The pressure is mounting on party in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan and other senior leaders to strike a balance between competing demands and social equations. How they navigate these challenges will be crucial in the run-up to the MLC elections, as the party aims to ensure fair representation to all.