A bitter fight of supremacy is on among the top Telangana Congress leaders over the Suryapet and Thungathurthy seats in Old Nalgonda district even as the party has announced its three lists leaving four seats pending including the above two.
Suryapet seat has turned out to be a bone of contention for the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) chief A. Revanth Reddy and other seniors like former Minister K. Jana Reddy, Nalgonda MP N. Uttam Kumar Reddy and Bhongir MP Komatireddy Venkat Reddy. The party has in three phases announced 114 candidates, replacing two named nominees and allotted a seat to CPI. Candidates for Suryapet, Miryalaguda, Thungathurthy (SC) and Charminar seats have not been finalised yet.
Party sources said the three top guns of old Nalgonda district are backing the candidature of five time MLA and former Minister R. Damodar Reddy from Suryapet seat, which he had lost last time to Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Minister K. Jagadishwar Reddy. The TPCC chief it is understood is keen on getting ticket to his friend and schoolmate Patel Ramesh Reddy.
Both sides appears to have stuck to their demand making the job of the Central Election Committee difficult. Party leaders point out that Mr. Damodar Reddy has been with the party for a long time and always toed the party line. They point out that Patel Ramesh Reddy too is a strong leader but had joined the Congress along with Mr. Revanth Reddy a few years back.
The problem of plenty is witnessed in Suryapet as any move to give ticket either of the leaders will automatically make the leader who fails to make it sulk. “Chances of non-cooperation is very high,” a senior leader remarked.
Similarly, in Thungathurthy constituency too, a section of Nalgonda leaders particularly Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has strongly opposed ticket to another senior Addanki Dayakar, who is considered the camp follower of the TPCC chief.
The Bhongir MP is irked that Addanki Dayakar had passed disparaging remarks against him and his brother and then BJP candidate from Munugode Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy during the by-elections. The personal attack on the Komatireddy brothers snowballed into a controversy and it seems the same issue has now come to haunt Addanki Dayakar, who even tendered an apology. Mr. Venkat Reddy, sources said, is dead against giving ticket to Addanki Dayakar. He is believed to have hinted that former BRS leader Samuel, who was State Warehousing Corporation chairman, or former Minister Motkupalli Narasimhulu could be considered.
The Congress party is said to have kept the Miryalaguda seat pending in the hope that if in the last minute their is seat sharing with the CPI (M), the seat will be allotted to the latter. However, B. Laxma Reddy is a strong aspirant from that constituency. If the party decides to give the seat to CPI (M), party leaders point out Mr. Laxma Reddy could enter the fray as an Independent. The supporters of Mr. Laxma Reddy last month had taken out a huge rally after speculation about poll alliance with the Left parties.
Coming to Charminar, the party is in two minds, according to sources. A group of minority leaders are understood to have met MIM MLA Mumtaz Khan, who was denied ticket this time. The party it is believed saw an opportunity to woo the six-time MLA to their side to embarrass the MIM party. There is still no word from the MIM MLA about his future political journey. In case he turns down the offer, the party is exploring the possibility of inviting the son of late Ibrahim Bin Masquati, former MLA to contest from Charminar.
