Telangana BJP LS candidate list in final stage

Sources in the party said the State leadership had so far finalised candidates for 10 constituencies, including the four sitting seats, while hectic discussions were over the remaining seats.

Hyderabad: With the BJP leadership planning to announce the list of candidates for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections in the first week of February, the party State unit has sped up the process of selection of candidates.

Sources in the party said the State leadership had so far finalised candidates for 10 constituencies, including the four sitting seats, while hectic discussions were over the remaining seats. The final list to be sent to the party high command is likely to be completed in the next three to four days, the sources added.

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It is learnt that the party high command cleared the names of candidates for Chevella, Malkajgiri, Medak, Bhongir, Mahbubnagar and Hyderabad seats while discussions on Scheduled Castes reserved constituencies of Peddapalli, Nagarkurnool and Warangal were underway. Sources said the BJP leadership was trying to attract sitting MPs from opposition parties for certain seats so that the party could win maximum seats in the State. In fact, a few of them were already in touch with BJP leaders and seeking a chance in two seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Sources said the BJP leadership was looking for a strong candidate from rival parties for Khammam and Nalgonda constituencies, where it does not have much presence. Already the party bosses have given a nod for getting strong leaders from opposition parties to contest polls on party tickets, sources said.

However, the popularity of candidates with higher chances of securing victory will be the focus of the party. All the criteria for winnability will be discussed first at the district level before forwarding names of the potential candidates to the State leadership, the sources said, adding that the candidates list will be observed by an internal committee of senior leaders and then forwarded to the high command.

The BJP’s central election committee, chaired by party chief JP Nadda, will then take a final call and announce the names of the candidates, the sources added.

The BJP managed to win four seats and its vote share touched 20 percent during the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, but this time it is planning to win over 10 seats and get 35 percent of the vote share.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that BJP MLAs of erstwhile Adilabad district are opposing the candidature of Soyam Bapu Rao and wanted the party leadership to replace him with a more acceptable and honest candidate from the district.

A cold war has been going on between Bapu Rao and senior leaders of Adilabad since the last few years and they want the party leadership not to give ticket to the former this time. There were also reports that Bapu Rao was in touch with the Congress.