A total of 11 nominations, including six by independent candidates, were filed for the biennial election of Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates’ constituency before the Returning Officer and District Collector Prashant J Patil on Thursday.
A set of nomination on behalf of sitting MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, who retires on March 29 and which necessitates the election, was also filed by some proposers. Mr. Rajeshwar Reddy is the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s candidate. Party sources indicated he would file his nomination on the last day for filing of nominations on Tuesday, after a series of meetings with the target voters.
From the Bharatiya Janata Party, Gujjula Premendar Reddy, accompanied by the party’s district president K. Sridhar Reddy submitted his nomination. Dr. Cheruku Sudhakar, founder of Telangana Inti Party, who has been one of the actively campaigning leaders for the election, and Nallamothu Thirumala Rao of Aam Admi Party and independent candidates – Sheik Shabbir Ali, Madagoni Balanaga Saidulu, Poosa Srinivas, Martha Srinivas, Gunturu Venkata Narayana and Lingidi Venkateshwarlu filed the nominations.
Unlike the other candidates, former MLC Sabavath Ramulu Naik who filed his nomination from the Congress party, was supported by a large number of his State and senior leaders.
Addressing media persons, post the nomination-filing, Pradesh Congress Committee chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the sitting MLC Mr. Rajeshwar Reddy had not worked towards the interests of graduates and the unemployed but was “managing the affairs of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.”
Congress Legislature Party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the Graduates’ election should interest every graduate who wants social justice in Telangana and said the election should be a lesson for the ruling TRS government.
Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, senior leader V. Hanumantha Rao and other leaders expressed their views.
