Hyderabad: In the upcoming Assembly elections, out of 119 constituencies, about 20 constituencies are seeing huge amounts of money being spent on canvassing. These are the constituencies from which the most numbers of contractors, realtors and industrialists are contesting.
As per election commission guidelines, each candidate can spend a maximum of Rs 28 lakh on his or her campaign, but according to political circles, for expenditure in these constituencies, the sky is the limit. Whatever the EC guidelines say, in general, the average expenditure is around Rs 10 crore for each candidate. But in these constituencies the expenditure may reach Rs 20 crore and above.
In Khammam Assembly constituency, Mr Puvvada Ajay Kumar of the TRS and Mr Nama Nageswara Rao of the TD are contesting. Mr Ajay Kumar is a realtor and owns educational institutions. Mr Nageswara Rao is a contractor and industrialist.
In Kodangal Assembly constituency Mr A. Revanth Reddy of the Congress is pitted against Mr P. Narendar Reddy of the TRS. Both men are financially well off.
In Serilimgampally, TD candidate Bhavya Anand Prasad and the BJP’s G. Yoganand are industrialists and the TRS’ Arikepudi Gandhi has deep pockets too.
Candidates with deep pockets in Medchal are the Congress’ K. Laxma Reddy, an industrialist, and the TRS’ Mallareddy who owns several educational institutions and industrial units. In Tandur, the TRS’ transport minister Patnam Mahendar Reddy and the Congress’ Pilot Rohit Reddy are contesting. Mr Rohit Reddy is a contractor and Mr Mahendar Reddy is a realtor and contractor.
In Ibrahimpatnam, TRS candidate Manchireddy Kishan Reddy and Mahakutami candidate Malreddy Ranga Reddy are ready to outdo each other in the amounts they spend.
In Bhongir Assembly constituency, TRS candidate P. Sekhar Reddy and Congress candidate K. Anil Kumar Reddy are realtors. In Bodhan Assembly constituency TRS’s Shakil Ahamed and Congress’ Sudarshan Reddy are wealthy.
In Patancheruvu assembly constituency, both TRS and Congress candidates are realtors - Mahipal Reddy from the TRS and Kata Srinivas Goud from the Congress.
In Nalgonda, Congress candidate Komatireddy Venkata Reddy and TRS candidate K Bhupal Reddy are contractors.
