Telangana parties gear up for Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates’ MLC election

Political parties have begun preparations for the Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates’ MLC election after Telangana issued the electoral roll schedule. Jana Sena has named Gadala Srinivas Rao, while Congress and BJP are yet to announce candidates for the March 2027 election.

Khammam: With Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) C Sudharshan Reddy issuing the schedule for preparation of electoral rolls for Warangal-Khammam-Nalgonda Graduates’ Constituency MLC elections, the political parties are gearing up to finalise their candidates.

The term of sitting MLC Chintapandu Naveen (Teenmar Mallanna) is set to expire in March 2027. As per the schedule released on September 17, a public notice for voter registration would be issued on September 28 for de novo (anew) preparation of electoral rolls with final publication of the same on December 30.

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It might be recalled that in the biennial election held on May 27, 2024, Congress candidate Mallanna defeated the BRS candidate A Rakesh Reddy in the results announced on June 8. The seat had fallen vacant after the resignation of sitting MLC Dr. Palla Rajeshwar Reddy of the BRS after he won the Jangaon n Assembly seat in 2023.

Rakesh Reddy, whose candidature is yet to be announced officially, has already started campaigning. He has been meeting graduates across the constituency for the past few months, besides organising different activities to garner voters’ support.

He hopes to win the election this time as the graduates and unemployed youth are upset with the Congress government. The graduates’ opinion on the administration; issues concerning government jobs, lack of recruitment and education are likely to play a pivotal role in the election.

Meanwhile, Jana Sena Party has named former Health Director Gadala Srinivas Rao as its candidate for the election and he hit the ground running. The Congress and BJP parties are to decide the names of their candidates.

According to sources there is a long list of aspirants in the Congress party to contest the election. State Tourism Corporation Chairman Patel Ramesh Reddy, Vijaya Dairy Chairman Gutta Amith Reddy, OU JAC leader Lokesh Yadav, Singapuram Indira, Ramireddy Sarvothama Reddy-the son of former Minister Damodar Reddy, Ponguleti Prasad Reddy- brother of Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Nalgonda DCC president Punna Kailash Neta, RTI Commissioner PV Srinivas and others’ names are doing rounds in the party circles as the potential candidates.

On the other hand, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka held a meeting in Hyderabad in the first week of September with key leaders from the three combined districts to discuss the strategy for the Graduate’s MLC election. He was said to have told the leaders to abide by the party high command decision regarding the candidate and work for the party victory.