HYDERABAD: Ministers and MLAs in the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) are preparing ground to secure party tickets to their kith and kin to contest 2023 Assembly polls in case they are denied tickets on age or other grounds.
They are said to encourage their sons and daughters to actively take part in party and government activities in their respective constituencies to reach out to party cadres and people and get political hold on constituencies in the run up to Assembly polls.
They are participating in party and government programmes along with their fathers and distributing welfare schemes benefits such as Kalyana Laxmi and CMRF cheques in constituencies to get closer to people.
Party sources said several TRS leaders, who are either close to 70 years of age or crossed 70 years are not sure of getting party tickets on age grounds. Some other leaders who got elected multiple times from the same Assembly constituency fear denial of tickets on anti-incumbency grounds and they may be replaced by others.
Endowments minister Allola Indrakaran Reddy, who is 72-year-old, has been encouraging his son Allola Gautham Reddy and daughter-in-law Allola Divya Reddy to take active part in party activities in Nirmal constituency.
Speaker Pocharam Srinivas, who is already 72-year-old, is reportedly making efforts to secure a ticket for his son Pocharam Bhaskar Reddy to contest from Banswada seat, which is currently being held by him. Bhaskar Reddy is currently serving as DCCB chairman and politically active in the constituency.
Former Legislative Council chairman and MLC Gutha Sukender Reddy, who is 67-year-old is reportedly lobbying for a party ticket to his son Gutha Amit Reddy.
Former minister and MLA Jogu Ramanna, who is 58-year-old, is making efforts to secure a ticket for his son Jogu Premender from the Adilabad seat. Premender is currently serving as chairperson of Adilabad municipality.
TSRTC chairman and MLA Bajireddy Goverdhan, who is 67-year-old, wants his son Jaganmohan to contest from Nizamabad rural seat. Jaganmohan is currently serving as ZPTC member of Darpally. Former Deputy Chief Minister and MLC Kadiyam Srihari, who is 69-year-old, is reportedly lobbying hard to bag a ticket for his daughter Kadiyam Kavya from the Station Ghanpur seat.
She is currently working as a doctor and undertaking various social activities in the constituency.
Secunderabad Cantonment MLA Sayanna, who is 70-year-old and facing health issues, wants his daughter Lasya Nandita to contest from his seat in 2023. Lasya earlier served as GHMC corporator from Kavadiguda.
TRS MLAs from Korutla K. Vidyasagar Rao (68-year-old) and N. Diwakar Rao (69-year-old) are also reportedly lobbying hard to secure tickets for their sons K. Sanjay and N. Vijit respectively.
Although Assembly polls are two years away, the TRS leaders have already started efforts to bag tickets for the kith and kin anticipating 'early polls' either in 2022-end or early 2023.
The reason, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had dissolved the Legislative Assembly nine months in advance in 2018 December forcing early Assembly polls in December 2018 while the Assembly's tenure was till June 2019. They expect the Chief Minister to go for early polls again.
Some leaders are reportedly requesting party leadership to consider their kith and kin for Lok Sabha seats if they cannot not make it to the Assembly polls.
