Telangana BJP leaders lobbying for LS tickets

Lok Sabha Elections are expected to be held in April-May of next year. The BJP leadership is reportedly planning to announce Lok Sabha candidates names in the next 45 to 60 days.

Hyderabad: With the BJP reportedly planning to announce Lok Sabha candidates much ahead of the announcement of poll schedule for the next general elections, the BJP leaders in the State have started lobbying for seats with the party high command. Lok Sabha Elections are expected to be held in April-May of next year. The BJP leadership is reportedly planning to announce Lok Sabha candidates names in the next 45 to 60 days.

Sources in the BJP said hectic lobbying has started for tickets with several senior leaders making manoeuvres to either get tickets for themselves or have their family members accommodated. Sitting MPs union Tourism Minister and BJP State President G Kishan Reddy (Secunderabad), National General Secretary Bandi Sanjay (Karimnagar) and Arvind Dharmapuri (Nizamabad) have already started lobbying with the party leadership for renominations.

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However, it is not yet clear whether Adilabad MP Soyam Bapurao, who contested from Boath assembly segments and lost, would be given another chance to contest this time or not. It is learnt that the party was planning to give the Adilabad ticket to former MLA Rathod Bapurao, who resigned from BRS and joined BJP before the assembly elections, this time. Along with him, former MP Ramesh Rathod, who lost from Khanapur constituency, was also in the race for the Adilabad Lok Sabha seat. In the seven assembly seats falling under the Adilabad Lok Sabha constituency, the BJP has won Adilabad, Nirmal, Sirpur and Mudhole constituencies, hence several tribal leaders are trying for the ticket.

The sources said that the national leadership had already assured Madhya Pradesh in-charge P Muralidhar Rao and BJP national vice president DK Aruna Malkajgiri and Mahbubnagar seats respectively. However, it is learnt that former MP AP Jitender Reddy and T Achari, who contested for the assembly polls from Kalwakurthy, are also trying for the Mahabubnagar seat.

Former MLA M Raghunandan Rao has already announced that he was ready to contest from Medak. Even former MLA Eatala Rajender has indicated that if the party leadership gave an opportunity he is ready to contest from either Malkajgiri, Medak or Karimnagar and has intensified efforts in that direction.

While, former MP Konda Vishveshwar Reddy has started the exercise to get the Chevella Lok Sabha seat, former MP Boora Narsaiah Goud was putting efforts to grab the Bhongir Lok Sabha seat. Sources said the party leadership was planning to field Veerashaiva Lingayat Samaj national leader Somayappa Swami from the Zaheerabad Lok Sabha constituency.

The party is reportedly planning to field BJP State General Secretary Bangaru Shruthi, daughter of former BJP President late Bangaru Laxman from Nagarkurnool constituency. Former DGP T Krishna Prasad has been making all out efforts to grab the Warangal seat. It is learnt that co-incharge of Tamil Nadu Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy was trying for the Khammam Lok Sabha constituency.

In the recently held assembly elections, the BJP not only won 8 seats but got 14 percent of votes. In 19 assembly segments, BJP candidates stood second and secured deposits in 49 seats. According to BJP leaders in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the party aims to increase its voter turnout to 25 percent and win eight seats.