Union Minister for Tourism, Culture and Development of Northeast Region and TS BJP chief G. Kishan Reddy has been renominated from the Secunderabad Parliament constituency, along with national general secretary Bandi Sanjay Kumar from Karimnagar and sitting MP Dharmapuri Aravind from Nizamabad.
This was finalised at the marathon BJP Central Parliamentary Board meeting in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president J.P. Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah and other top leaders last night in New Delhi, informed party sources here on Friday.
These three could end up being the only true blue saffronites contesting the polls this time as the party leadership could well be considering giving tickets to sitting BRS MPs or Congressmen for the rest of the constituencies if the current political buzz is anything to go by.
Sitting MP from Adilabad Soyam Babu Rao’s candidature is still in suspense and the final candidate selection has been put off. Others most likely to cut include former BRS MPs and now very much in BJP – Konda Visveshwar Rao from Chevella and Dr. Burra Narasiah Goud from Bhongir.
Sitting BRS MP P. Ramulu from Nagarkurnool joined the saffron party on Thursday, and he is said to be seeking the ticket for his son Bharat, a ZPTC member. Virinchi Hospitals chairperson M. Madhavi Latha is likely to be given a ticket for contesting from the Hyderabad Parliament constituency.
Party sources also informed that the candidature of sitting BRS MP from Zaheerabad B.B. Patil is being considered as he has jumped into the party on Friday and another BRS MP Kavitha Maloth could be contesting from the BJP for Mahabubabad if she too follows suit. Same goes with Khammam where sitting BRS MP Nama Venkateswara Rao is likely to be considered, if he joins the party.
Former BRS MLA from Huzurnagar S. Saidi Reddy is said to be an aspirant for the Nalgonda parliamentary constituency. Another former MLA M. Raghunandan Rao is an aspirant for Medak constituency but his chances depend on Mr. Rajender getting the Malkajgiri parliament constituency.
The much coveted Malkajgiri slot has not been decided though there are several claimants like former Minister Eatala Rajender, Madhya Pradesh in-charge P. Muralidhar Rao, Delhi Public School chairperson M. Komariah and others, with the dark horse being former MLC and party veteran N. Ramchander Rao. There is no clarity as of now about Warangal, added party sources.
