HYDERABAD: TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Monday announced Nomula Bhagat, the 37-year old son of the late MLA Nomula Narasimhaiah as the party's candidate for the April 17 Nagarjunasagar byelections.
Though several senior leaders from the Backward Classes and the Reddy community vied for the ticket, Rao preferred Bhagat in line with the party's policy of giving the ticket to a family member of the deceased MLAs in the byelection, analysing caste equations in the constituency and considering Narasimhaiah's work and the goodwill he had earned.
Bhagat will file his papers on Tuesday, the last day for filing for nominations.
The TRS chief held a meeting with Nalgonda party leaders at Telangana Bhavan before announcing the candidature of Bhagat. Senior leaders Tera Chinnapa Reddy and M.C. Koti Reddy, the two serious contenders for the ticket, also attended the meeting along with Bhagat.
The party boss reportedly assured re-nomination as MLC for Chinnapa Reddy and nominating Koti Reddy whenever a vacancy arises in the Legislative Council, following reports that the BJP was trying to lure them into its fold if the TRS denied them a ticket.
Though there was strong demand from certain quarters in the party to give the ticket to a 'local BC leader' this time, and opposition to nominating Narasimhaiah's family member, terming them as 'non locals' as they hail from Nakrekal mandal, Chandrashekar Rao favoured Bhagat to avoid criticism that the party dumps family members of those who die in harness. It should be noted that Solipeta Sujatha, wife of deceased MLA Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy, was given a ticket for the Dubbak byelection.
Caste equations in the constituency also work in favour of Bhagat. The Yadav community voters, to which Bhagat belongs, constitute a majority in Nagarjunasagar constituency.
Out of a total of 2.20 lakh voters in Nagarjunasagar constituency, voters from the BC community comprise 1.05 lakh of whom Yadavs account for 34,000.
