The Congress on Sunday released its first list of 55 candidates for the Telangana assembly elections scheduled for November 30.
According to a release from the All India Congress Committee, the first list comprises top leaders, including three sitting Lok Sabha members - Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president and Malkajgiri MP from A Revanth Reddy from Kodandal, Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy from Nalgonda, and Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy from Huzurnagar.
Besides, all the five sitting MLAs, including PCC working president T Jagga Reddy from Sangareddy, Dhanasari Anasuya alias Seethakka from Mulug (ST), Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka from Madhira (SC), Podem Veeraiah from Bhadrachalam (ST) and Duddilla Sridhar Babu from Manthani, were also given the party tickets.
Contrary to the Udaipur declaration, which called for party tickets to only the family members of each leader, the party has given tickets to two candidates – N Padmavathi Reddy, wife of N Uttam Kumar Reddy from Kodad and Mynampalli Rohit, son of Malkajgiri MLA Mynampally Hanumantha Rao from Medak assembly constituency.
Out of 55 candidates, the Congress has given tickets to 15 Reddy candidates, 12 SC, two ST, three Muslims, a Brahmin, besides Velamas, Vysyas and OBCs, among others.
While senior Congress leader Tumkunta Narasa Reddy will contest against Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao in Gajwel, the party has yet not finalised the candidature for KCR’s second constituency Kamareddy, though former minister Mohammad Ali Shabbir’s name was proposed by the state party.
{{/usCountry}}While senior Congress leader Tumkunta Narasa Reddy will contest against Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) president K Chandrasekhar Rao in Gajwel, the party has yet not finalised the candidature for KCR’s second constituency Kamareddy, though former minister Mohammad Ali Shabbir’s name was proposed by the state party.
{{/usCountry}}Similarly, the party has not yet finalised the candidates for Siricilla and Siddipet assembly constituencies, from where KCR’s son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, are in the fray.
The Congress denied tickets to senior leaders, including former ministers Dr J Geetha Reddy from Zahirabad (SC) and Nagam Janardhan Reddy from Nagarkurnool. Another former minister Jupally Nageshwar Rao, who defected from the BRS recently, was given the ticket for the Kollapur assembly constituency.
Names of two other prominent leaders from Khammam – Tummala Nageshwar Rao and Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, who defected from the BRS, also did not figure in the first list, as the party is in discussion with the CPI and CPI (M) for an alliance.
A party functionary said the Congress has tentatively agreed to give two tickets to the Communist Party of India – Kothagudem and Chennur assembly seats. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is insisting on Paleru and Miryalaguda seats, but the negotiations are still going on, he said.