Hyderabad: The Election Commission is yet to take a call on when to hold the Huzurabad Assembly bypoll but the list of aspirants vying for party ticket to contest the poll in the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) is getting longer.
Though a month has passed since former minister Etala Rajender submitted his resignation from Huzurabad Assembly seat on June 12 which was immediately approved by Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy on the same day, there are no indications from the Election
Commission till date about the issuance of schedule for byelection.
With Telugu Desam Party (TDP) Telangana state former president L Ramana joining the TRS on July 12 and Congress leader Kaushik Reddy likely to join the ruling party on July 16, ticket aspirants are on their toes as they both are considered to be the strong contenders for TRS ticket for Huzurabad.
Speculation is rife in the TRS circles that BJP leader E Peddi Reddy would join the TRS any time as he is upset with party leadership for taking Etala Rajender in BJP without consulting him and for fielding Etala in the bypoll as BJP candidate.
Peddi Reddy joined the BJP from the TDP in 2019 with hope to contest from Huzurabad seat in 2023 Assembly polls. But all his hopes were dashed after Etala joined the BJP from the TRS in June. Peddi Reddy, when he was with the TDP, lost the ticket to Congress's Padi Kaushik Reddy in 2018 Assembly polls due to the Congress-TDP alliance.
With Etala's entry into the BJP, Peddi Reddy sees no chance of him getting a ticket even in 2023 Assembly polls and reportedly offering to join the TRS if he is given ticket to contest Huzurabad bypoll.
The other aspirants in TRS include V Sarojini Devi, wife of TRS senior leader and Rajya Sabha member Captain V Laxmikantha Rao, known to be the close aide of party president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao.
Former MP and TS Planning Board vice chairman B Vinod Kumar' name is also doing the rounds.
Telangana BC Commission former member Vakulabharanam Krishna Mohan and TRS student wing president Gellu Srinivas are also making efforts to secure tickets, it is learnt.
Former minister and TDP leader Muddasani Damodar Reddy's son M Kashyap Reddy recently joined the TRS from the TDP hoping for the party ticket. He contested against Etala from TDP in 2014 but lost.
Damodar Reddy's brother, M Purushottam Reddy, a retired IAS officer and vice chairman of Vemulawada Temple Development Authority, is also said to be in the race.
