Mana and Guild Panels Set for a Clash on September 6?

The election battle for the Telugu Film Producers’ Council is set to intensify, with the Mana Panel led by C. Kalyan and the Guild Panel backed by Bandla Ganesh entering the fray.

The elections will be held on September 6, with around 800 members expected to exercise their franchise. A source claims that the panel led by veteran producer C. Kalyan currently has an edge. “C. Kalyan, Chadalavada Srinivasa Rao, Tummalapalli Prasanna Kumar and Mohan Vadlapatla have an advantage as they are fighting for the rights of small producers, who account for nearly 70% of the council’s membership,” says the source.

After months of demands from producers to conduct elections, the Producers’ Council has finally announced its schedule. Polling will take place on September 6 from 8 am to 2 pm, with results expected to be announced at 3 pm the same day. The nomination process began on August 17 and will continue until August 28. A senior member was reportedly disqualified after applying for three posts despite not confirming one of them.

Council elections have traditionally seen a contest between established active producers and representatives of smaller producers, and this year appears to be no different. Bandla Ganesh has emerged as the candidate backed by the Active Producers Guild, while C. Kalyan is in the race for the president’s post.

The C. Kalyan panel has also taken shape, with Tummalapalli Prasanna Kumar and YVS Chowdary contesting for secretary, while Ammiraju and Rama Satyanarayana are in the fray for joint secretary. Producer Chadalavada Srinivasa Rao is contesting for treasurer.

The Guild panel, meanwhile, has Bandla Ganesh contesting for president, with Damodar Prasad and Bharat Chowdary as vice-presidents, Muthyala Ramdas as secretary, and Ravi Kishore and SKN among the other key candidates.

With several prominent names now in the race, the September 6 election is expected to be a keenly watched contest within the Telugu film industry.