Hyderabad: The Telangana Rashtra Samiti has decided to field Pasanuri Dayakar, a party activist and Talli Telangana sculptor, as its nominee for the Warangal Lok Sabha (SC) byelection.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao took the decision after a marathon exercise, consulting senior state and Warangal party leaders and going through survey reports. In another development, TPCC chief Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Congress candidate would be announced on Saturday.
Mr Rao zeroed in on Mr Dayakar and Advocates JAC leader G. Ravikumar, but opted for Mr Dayakar who had stood by the party since 2001 and is credited with creation of the Talli Telangana statues. Mr Dayakar had earlier tried to get the Wardhannapet Assembly ticket and had served as the Warangal TRS youth chief.
Mr Ravikumar was once the hot favourite, but the fact that his parents are inter-caste (mother Madiga and father a Padmashali), sealed his fate, said TRS sources. The party leadership feared a controversy and legal implications, since the seat is reserved for SCs.
Mr Rao assured to provide a suitable post for Mr Ravikumar in the party as well as the government, it is learnt. The bypoll is being held following resignation and induction of Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari into the state Cabinet.
Mr Srihari had defeated Congress nominee Rajaiah in the 2014 elections by a thumping majority. Confident of repeating its electoral performance on the plank of successful implementation of welfare and developmental schemes since it assumed power last year, Mr Rao has decided to field a party loyalist.
“Congress, BJP are unable to even find candidates. In fact, no one is willing to contest,” Mr Srihari said. Stating their survey indicated a victory for the Congress by one lakh votes, Mr Uttam Kumar Reddy said the party had completed consultations with its leaders and would announce its nominee on Saturday. “We have taken the opinion of all at the ground level. The selection of candidate will be based on this. A national-level organisation conducted survey which indicated victory for the Congress by one lakh votes,” he claimed.
Sources said that the Congress is zeroing on former MP Sircilla Rajaiah, a local, after another former MP G. Vivek opted out. Meanwhile, former Union minister Sarve Satyanarayana is still trying his best to get the ticket.
