Aspirants go all out to get tickets

“It’s quite common. Everyone tries to impress senior party leaders and also ward off other ticket claimants. We are flooded with requests from various divisions for tickets. Party’s poll committee will take a final decision,” said a senior BJP leader. Minister T. Padma Rao and T. Srinivas Yadav, TRS Greater Hyderabad president M. Hanumantha Rao and panchayat raj minister K.T. Rama Rao, who is spearheading the TRS campaign, are being continually hounded for tickets.

In fact, some aspirants are carrying photo albums and newspaper clippings of participation in various party programmes, putting up flexis of party leaders on their birthdays and other functions, inviting them for Ayyappa puja and other functions etc. “Please check my credentials in the area. Conduct a survey and find out which leader is popular. There is not a single criminal case against me,” TRS activist Ramesh Yadav was heard saying at the Telangana Bhavan.

Rudrama Devi, a social worker of Malakpet is eyeing an MIM ticket. “The party hardly matters for one who wants to serve the people. The local MIM MLA has been helping people of all religions,” she said. Mr Duggu Raghu, a journalist who also runs a PR agency, is meanwhile trying to woo the TRS leaders for a ticket in the Malakpet area. He had contested on a Praja Rajyam ticket in the last polls and lost. “I will win hands down if I get the TRS ticket,” he said. “Please check my popularity in the area. I have been serving the people for three decades and also participated in the Telangana movement,” Mr Raju, a corporator ticket aspirant from the Secunderabad Assembly constituency was seen pleading with Mr Padma Rao.