BJP MLAs unlikely to retain their seats this time

The BJP's popularity graph which is on a decline mode in the State in last few months, is worrying the party sitting MLAs as their chances of retaining their seats in the ensuing Assembly polls appear to be very bleak.

Hyderabad: The BJP‘s popularity graph which is on a decline mode in the State in last few months, is worrying the party sitting MLAs as their chances of retaining their seats in the ensuing Assembly polls appear to be very bleak. Party sources believe that it would be an uphill task for the BJP MLAs Eatala Rajender from Huzurabad and M Raghunandan Rao from Dubba as the ruling BRS pitted very strong candidates against them.

Eatala Rajender, who is also the BJP election management committee chairman, who scored a hard-fought victory in the Huzurabad by-poll, is reportedly worried as the BRS has fielded MLC Padi Koushik Reddy, who has a considerable support base in the Huzurabad constituency. With the ruling BRS determined to capture the Huzurabad seat, the Huzurabad seat has become extremely important for both the parties.

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BJP’s most vociferous voice in Telangana, Raghunandan Rao is likely to face a tough challenge this time as the BRS fielded the Medak MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy and the electoral battle is likely to be the tightest. Rao also has another cause for concern. The Finance Minister T Harish Rao, in all likelihood will play a a crucial role in Dubbaka constituency.

Solipeta Ramalinga Reddy had contested four elections from Dubbaka from 2004 to 2018 on TRS (Now BRS) ticket and registered victory. However, his untimely demise in 2020 had created a political vacuum in the constituency. Though the BRS leadership fielded his wife Sujatha in the by-election, she lost the election to Raghunandan Rao by a slender margin. Since there were no strong leaders in Dubbaka and Prabhakar Reddy also hails from Potharam village in Dubbaka Mandal, the BRS has decided to field him from the constituency this time.

Meanwhile, for Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh, who was suspended from the BJP last year, his fate looks uncertain as this time the party high command is planning to replace him with former minister late Mukesh Goud’s son Vikram Goud. Sources close to Raja Singh said in the event of he being denied a ticket he would contest as an Independent candidate.

Apart from this the BJP MLAs are worried about the ongoing internal rifts among various factions in the party could affect their prospects in the upcoming polls. Eatala, who is believed to have played a vital role in the getting Karimnagar MP Bandi Sanjay shifted from the post of State BJP chief, is likely to face a difficult task in dealing with Sanjay’s supporters.