Telangana Assembly elections: Congress, ticket aspirants worried over dissidence

Given the situation, Congress leadership is now getting anxious about differences flaring up between party leaders and the possible impact on the party’s prospects in the elections

Hyderabad: With all the buzz around filing applications for tickets to contest the Assembly elections settled, the Congress and its ticket aspirants are now worried about dissidence among party leaders as multiple applications have been filed for different constituencies.

Given the situation, the party leadership is now getting anxious about differences flaring up between party leaders and the possible impact on the party’s prospects in the elections. This situation is not confined to just Greater Hyderabad but is prevailing in districts as well.

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For instance, TPCC Disciplinary Committee Chairman G Chinna Reddy and Youth Congress State president Sivasena Reddy filed applications seeking tickets to contest from Wanaparthy constituency. For Jangaon constituency, former Minister Ponnala Laxmaiah and Kommuri Pratap Reddy have filed applications. Former MP Madhu Yaskhi Goud has filed an application for LB Nagar and Malreddy Ranga Reddy also filed an application for the same constituency.

In such a scenario, the aspirant, who fails to get the ticket would not actively participate in party programmes, which can eventually cast an adverse impact on the party’s performance, said a senior leader. And with differences among leaders within the party being a regular feature, the party leadership was now even more worried about the dissidence factor, the leader said.

Interestingly, this phenomenon is very evident in different constituencies in Greater Hyderabad. Former CLP Leader P Janardhan Reddy’s son P Vishnuvardhan Reddy filed an application for the Jubilee Hills constituency. Former Indian cricket captain Mohd. Azharuddin has also filed application for the same constituency.

Likewise, Marri Aditya Reddy, son of former MLA Marri Shashidhar Reddy (who joined the BJP), is planning to contest from Sanathnagar constituency. TPCC general secretary Kota Neelima has also filed application for Sanathnagar.

Same is the case with Khairatabad constituency. Former CLP leader P Janardhan Reddy’s daughter and corporator P Vijaya Reddy is facing stiff competition from Khairatabad DCC president Rohin Reddy and TPCC vice president Vinod Reddy in securing a ticket to contest from Khairatabad.

Ticket aspirants are now keeping their fingers crossed and are worried about the cadre support. Though every leader claims full support of the party cadre, it is not clear which way the cadre, and later the voter, will swing when there are multiple candidates vying for the same spot.