Buoyed by the success of its candidates in the Teachers and Graduates Constituency MLC elections recently, Congress is pinning hopes on the three MLC by-polls to be held under the local bodies quota in Ranga Reddy, Warangal and Nalgonda districts for which the notification has been released.
Several leaders are eyeing for party official nomination and most of these include who have lost the Assembly elections recently.
Some of the names that cropped up for discussion include Malreddy Ranga Reddy and T. Rammohan Reddy, both former MLAs for the Ranga Reddy local bodies seat.
For Nalgonda seat, Munugode MLA, Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy’s wife Lakshmi’s name is doing the rounds.
Interestingly, the seat was vacated by Mr. Rajgopal Reddy himself after he was elected as the MLA in the recent Assembly elections.
“He is pushing for his wife’s nomination and he has the financial capabilities to take on the TRS nominee. We all know it is going to be a money game in these elections more than other factors,” said a senior leader. Her nomination, some leaders feel, may send a wrong signal since Mr. Rajgopal Reddy’s brother and former Minister, K. Venkat Reddy contested for Nalgonda Assembly and lost.
He was given another opportunity to contest as MP for the Bhongir constituency of which the results are awaited. Recently another brother, Mohan Reddy, has been declared as the party nominee for Zilla Parishad Chairman.
“This may send a wrong signal that only the family is taking all the opportunities.”
TPCC president, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy’s wife Padmavathi, a former MLA from Kodad, was also floated for the same but Mr. Reddy categorically denied it. “She will not be in the fray,” Mr. Reddy told The Hindu.
Meanwhile, Gudur Narayan Reddy, who was nominated for MLC elections under the MLAs quota also wants to test the waters. The party decided to boycott the MLC election after some Congress MLAs decided to switch to TRS and abstain from voting ensuring election of the third candidate put up by the ruling party despite having the strength for only two MLCs.
The Warangal seat may go to Konda Murali, who resigned from the post after switching loyalties to Congress from the TRS just before the Assembly elections. “We don’t know how keen he or his wife Konda Surekha is,” a senior functionary of the party said. Konda Surekha, a former Minister and a bitter critic of KCR, lost in the Assembly elections.
CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka said the party will take a decision in a couple of days taking into consideration the views of senior leaders.
The nomination date ends on May 13 and the polling will be held on May 31.