Secunderabad Cantonment Board elections: BRS has hands full, opposition banks on star power

HYDERABAD: While the poll bugle for Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) elections has been sounded, jockeying for tickets by BRS leaders has intensified. Several aspirants are trying their luck to grab tickets in the Cantonment Board elections.
Though the party top brass has not announced candidates' names officially, sources said the leadership would take a call on the candidates only after conducting a survey on their reputation, winning chances and performance of sitting members.

"A preliminary meeting on SCB elections will be held with party leaders on March 10. Hyderabad district incharge minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav will chair the meeting. Minister KT Rama Rao will hold another meeting with important leaders," Marri Rajasekhar Reddy, BRS incharge for Malkajgiri Lok Sabha constituency, told TOI.
Sources said the leadership will go for a mix of old and new while selecting the candidates. While senior leaders are demanding that they be fielded again, new and young leaders are seeking a fair chance for them this time round. Sitting members are hopeful of bagging the tickets, citing the 2018 assembly elections when BRS gave tickets to over 95% sitting members and changed candidates in less than 10 seats. Some of the seniors were elected three to four times in the Cantonment board polls.
In ward No. 2 sitting member Sada Keshava Reddy quit the BRS and joined the BJP and later resigned from the saffron party. Ruling party leaders are now trying to bring him back into the party fold. If Reddy does not rejoin party, leaders like TN Srinivas or one of two daughters of Cantonment MLA G Sayanna, who passed away recently, may be given ticket, sources said.
"Now, only ward Nos. 2, 5 and 6 are reserved for women," BRS leader said. Some leaders like labour minister Ch Malla Reddy are preferring tickets to sitting members as they believe it will help them have an easy run in the forthcoming assembly elections.