KARIMNAGAR: Chennamaneni Ramesh Babu, a four-time incumbent MLA of the BRS, is up against stiff competition from other candidates for the Vemulawada Assembly segment in Rajanna Sircilla district.
As rumours spread that Ramesh Babu's court battle over his German citizenship prevented the party leadership from giving him the Assembly ticket, the candidates for the seat stepped up their campaigning in the Vemulawada district.
Chalmeda Laxmi Narasimha Rao, a former Congress leader who defected and joined BRS, is lobbying for the party's ticket to contest the upcoming Assembly elections from Vemulawada constituency. By organising medical camps on behalf of Chalmeda Anand Rao Institute of Medical Sciences (CAIMS) and opening the party office at Mallaram cross roads with the assistance of another senior BRS leader, Prabhakar Rao, he even made an effort to connect with every demographic in the district.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Chalmeda said that numerous social service initiatives have been carried out in the Vemulawada constituency over several years under the auspices of CAIMS. A personal office was established in the constituency to provide greater services, he said. He declared that he was prepared to run for office and to serve the residents of Vemulawada seat "If the party leadership will grant permission and allocate the party ticket."
Additionally, Chalmeda was able to win over some of the most important members of the ruling party, including ZPTCs, Sarpanchs, and mandal party presidents. After becoming aware of this, MLA Ramesh Babu and his close friends sent a message warning such authorities from visiting his office, "Sangeetha Nilayama," in Vemulawada.
Speaking at a recent gathering of his supporters and close friends, MLA Ramesh Babu recalled that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had already declared his intention to only give party tickets to sitting MLAs. He added that he was confident the ticket would be given to him. He claimed that some of the enthusiasts who robbed the helpless by building a corporate hospital are now launching their own projects without the help of the BRS in the name of helping the populace. And he went on to say that the residents of Vemulawada constituency would not accept such claims.
Enugu Manohar Reddy, who switched from the Congress to BRS and was instrumental in Ramesh Babu's triumph in the previous Assembly elections, is also vying for a ticket and laying the groundwork to run in the upcoming Assembly elections from Vemulawada.
Manohar Reddy previously ran for the position of CESS chairman, but he withdrew after the party leadership promised to give him an important position. Manohar is indicating that he is competing for the BRS nomination to represent Vemulawada by conducting meetings with his supporters and influential figures. Manohar also let his supporters know that, should the party refuse to provide him a ticket, he is prepared to run as an independent candidate.
The second-rung leaders have divided into different groups and are offering their support to the three key leaders who are vying for the BRS ticket to run from the Vemulawada constituency. The party cadre is unsure of how to respond to the current political climate in the Vemulawada constituency.
