Hyderabad: Leaders of the Mahakutami, the grand alliance of opposition parties, held discussions on Tuesday night till 2 am to finalise the seats for the upcoming Assembly elections.
According to sources, Telangana Telugu Desam president, L. Ramana, Telangana Jana Samiti president, Kodandaram, and CPI Telangana state secretary, Chada Venkata Reddy, have declared they will not be contesting as candidates. They say their main aim is to end the “dark rule” of the TRS and so want to campaign across the state for the victory of the Mahakutami. As candidates, they would have to confine themselves to their constituencies. They have been assured by the Congress party that they will be taken into the cabinet if the Mahakutami comes to power.
Messrs Ramana, Kodandaram and Chada have said that they are not after power; they just want to end TRS rule and bring in a “people’s government”.
The alliance will put out its first list of candidates on November 2. There are expected to be more than 50 candidates from the Congress, five from the TD, three from the TJS, and two from the CPI. In the first list, Telangana TD will announce E. Peddiredy (Kukatpally), T. Veerendar Goud (Uppal), K. Dayakar Reddy (Mak-thal) or Sita Dayakar Reddy (Dvera Kadra), Erra Sekhar (Jadcherla or Mahbubnagar).
From the TJS, the candidates are K Dilip Kumar (Malkajgiri), K Chandar (Ramagundam), and for Dubaka two names are being considered. From the CPI, G Mallesh (Bellam Pally) and Ramulu Naik (Vyra) are the candidates. Former MLAs and senior leaders will be in the Congress list.
Sources said in the election campaign they will be called Mahakutami candidates and not Congress, TD, TJS or CPI candidates. But they will contest on their own party symbol and from their own party. For only campaign purposes they will be called Mahakutami candidates.
