HYderabad: Osmania University JAC student leaders, who were earlier ignored by all major political parties, are back in demand. Though the OUJAC had announced in November last year that it would set up its own political party and contest the elections, it did not materialise due to differences among various student JACs and with some leaders joining various political parties.
Some OUJAC leaders vied for Congress and TRS seats with a belief that it would ensure easy victory for them in the elections with Congress being the “Telangana giver” and TRS the “Telangana achiever”.
However, these parties had turned down the requests of several OUJAC leaders earlier, anticipating a Congress-TRS alliance which would have made it difficult to accommodate even established and senior political leaders.
But with Congress and TRS failing to forge an alliance, both parties are now offering seats to select OUJAC leaders to cash in on the T-sentiment. The Telugu Desam, which is lying low in Telangana, is also willing to offer seats to student leaders to revive its electoral prospects in the T-region.
Upset for having to make rounds of political parties for tickets, several OUJAC leaders had earlier announced their plans of contesting as independent candidates, but the latest political developments have given them fresh hope.
The leaders had banked on the TRS but the party had offered only a single ticket, to OUJAC leader Pidamarthi Ravi, so far. But with the fresh developments, TRS is now planning to give four tickets to student leaders.
If the Congress-TRS alliance does not work out, Congress is said to be in favour of offering either the Munugodu or Bhuvanagiri Assembly seat to OUJAC leader Punna Kailashnetha, Mahabubnagar or Devarakadra Assembly seat to OUJAC convener K. Vijay Kumar, Miryalaguda Assembly seat to Charan Kailash and Sathupally Assembly seat to Maanavatha Rai. Two more OUJAC leaders are also being considered for candidature depending on the situation.
Similarly, the TDP is in favour of giving a ticket to its student leader Anjaneya Goud. Though he is not associated with the OUJAC, he had played a crucial role in strengthening the TDP’s student base on OU campus. However, the problem is that he wants the Gadwal Assembly seat to contest against D.K. Aruna, and senior leader D.K. Samarasimha Reddy too is keen to contest from there and had joined the TDP recently for the purpose.
TDP is also considering the candidature of OUJAC leader Rajaram Yadav from the Armoor Assembly seat. Similarly, Telangana folklore artiste and singer Daruvu Ellanna is being considered in Karimnagar as TRS has roped in artiste Rasamayi Balakishan.
