Telanagana PCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy picks nominees for Assembly elections
Hyderabad: Telanagana PCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who will lead the party in the 2019 Assembly elections with the blessings of AICC president Rahul Gandhi, has begun the exercise of identifying probable candidates for all the 119 Assembly segments and so far selected 63.
Much ahead of the other parties, including the TRS, Mr Reddy has even conveyed to the party leaders about their candidature and asked them to continue their political work in their constituencies.
Sources close to Mr Reddy told this newspaper that the ‘selections’ had the approval of AICC leaders like incharge secretary R.C. Kunthia and Koppula Raju. The exercise of identifying candidates for the rest of the constituencies is on. It was taken up considering the winnability and caste equations, the sources said. Except in a few constituencies, the list might not be changed.
“This exercise became necessary in view of the reports of advancement of Assembly polls and as part of gearing the party up for the poll,” said the source.
Though due weightage was given to loyalty and seniority, in several segments young leaders belonging to unrepresented Backward Castes were selected.
Though all the 63 ‘candidates’ have been told about the selection, Mr Reddy is keeping everything under wraps.
Sources said former minister Danam Nagen-der, considered to be strongman of Khaira-tabad, has been asked to move to Musheerabad to take on BJP state president Dr K. Laxman. Similarly, contrary to speculations that Mr A. Revanth Reddy, who joined the party would move to Jedcherla in Mahbubnagar district, he had been asked to contest again from Kodangal and Dr Mallu Ravi would be the candidate from Jedcherla.
Former Bhongir MP Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy might not get his choice of Munugode as Palvai Sravanthi Reddy had been told to work from there.
Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly K. Jana Reddy and his son Raghuveer Reddy have been allotted Nagarjunsagar and Miryalaguda Assembly constituencies while Mr Shabbir Ali who would be completing his tenure in the Legislative Council, next year, would contest from Kamareddy, according to Mr Reddy’s plans.
