Khanapur MLA Rekha Naik may join Congress, likely to contest from Adilabad Parliament segment

The BRS which denied a ticket to her, had chosen Bhukya Johnson Naik as it candidate during the recent allocations of tickets

Adilabad: Miffed by denial of the ticket of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Khanapur MLA Ajmeera Rekha Naik is exploring possibilities of joining the Congress party.

Rekha was shocked by the BRS decision not to re-nominate her from Khanapur segment. She initially chose to be silent on the rejection of the ticket, but later declared in a TV channel recently that she would be joining the Congress. Congress sources say that she was likely to be fielded from Adilabad Parliament constituency, while her husband Shyam Naik could be in the fray from Asifabad segment representing the Congress.

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The BRS which denied a ticket to her, had chosen Bhukya Johnson Naik as it candidate during the recent allocations of tickets.

A law graduate, Rekha insisted on the ticket of Khanapur from Congress party considering her earlier success streak. But with many aspirants vying for the same ticket, she is forced to be content with the Adilabad parliament seat.

She had won twice from Khanapur segment by contesting on the ticket of BRS, then TRS. She polled 67,138 votes and defeated Ramesh Rathod of the Congress by margin of 20,710 in 2018. The Lambada legislator had emerged victorious from Khanapur in 2014. She beat her opponent Rithesh Rathod, son of Ramesh Rathod with a margin of 38,511 votes. She contested as an Independent in 2009, but could not win.

Meanwhile, her husband Shyam, who was a road transport officer, took voluntary retirement from service and joined the Congress a few months ago. He is actively participating in the programmes of the Congress and opened an office in Asifabad.

He, however, is facing stiff competition from likes of Dr Ganesh Rathod, Marsakola Saraswathi who were eying on the ticket of the Congress from Asifabad segment.