Opposition’s flip-flops in declaring candidates causes tragicomic situation in Telangana polls

While the BJP changed its candidates in at least five Assembly segments, the Congress replaced its candidates in two constituencies.

Hyderabad: In a twist that could rival even the most unpredictable dramas on-screen, the Assembly elections in Telangana just got crazier. Hours before the doors for filing nomination were closed on Friday, the sudden flip-flop of the opposition parties in changing the candidates led to a tragi-comedy situation. While the BJP changed its candidates in at least five Assembly segments, the Congress replaced its candidates in two constituencies.

While the ruling BRS declared its candidates for 114 of 119 constituencies way back in August, both the Congress and the BJP have been dilly-dallying in announcing their respective candidates. The BRS candidates had the early-bird advantage in reaching out to the voters and have been conducting extensive campaign not just once but at least twice and even thrice in their respective constituencies.

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However, both the BJP and the Congress parties did not release their first list even a week after the poll schedule was released. Ironically, the last list of the Congress was released on Wednesday, while the BJP released its final list on Friday which is the last day for filing the nominations. Even these lists were full of twists and turns leaving the respective party cadre scratching their heads and voters wondering who the genuine candidate was.

The BJP which has been grappling for candidates, caused more confusion than any other political party leading to a tragi-comic situation in at least five constituencies. On Friday, the BJP released its fifth and final list of candidates where the party made changes in four places from the earlier lists that it had announced.

The party nominated Anugna Reddy in place of TSRTC JAC former chairman Ashvathama Reddy in Wanaparthy, Koyyala Emaji in place of Amarajula Sridevi in Bellampally, Maremma in place of Rajagopal in Alampur and Mahender in Chandrayangutta in place of Satyanarayana Mudiraj. But within hours, BJP state general secretary G Premender Reddy clarified that Sridevi would continue as the party’s candidate for Bellampally and Rajagopal would continue in Alampur in place of Maremma.

If this was not enough, the BJP leadership replaced Thula Uma in Vemulawada from the previous lists and gave B-form to Chennamaneni Vikas Rao and also substituted Pulimamidi Raju with Rajeshwar Rao Deshpande in Narayankhed. Rajeshwar Rao Deshpande broke into tears and even telephoned BJP State president G Kishan Reddy to threaten that he would commit suicide if the B-form was not given to him, which went viral on social media.

The dramatics in the Congress party were no less. Congress senior leader and former Minister G Chinna Reddy was replaced by Megha Reddy in Wanaparthy a couple of days ago. Congress senior leader Neelam Madhu Mudiraj was pitted as the party candidate from Patancheru. But on Friday, the Congress declared Kata Srinivas as its candidate and gave him the party B-form, leaving Madhu in distress. Madhu along with his family were seen in tears which was televised on news channels as well as shared on the social media. Madhu decided to contest as an independent candidate, urging the Mudiraj community not to vote for the Congress cheaters in any constituency across Telangana.

Interestingly, the climatic twist was not given by either party leaderships, but the Congress candidate from Narayakhed. Former Minister Suresh Shetkar was declared as the Congress candidate from Narayankhed and the party also issued him a B-form. Instead of filing his nomination, he gave away his B-form to another Congress aspirant Sanjeeva Reddy who immediately filed the nomination.