Telangana: Senior Congress leaders keen to contest Lok Sabha elections

Senior Congress leaders from Telangana are keen to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections and are demanding an explanation from the State leadership if their candidature was not considered

Hyderabad: A few senior leaders from the Telangana Congress are keen to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha elections and are also demanding an explanation from the State leadership if their candidature was not considered.

Former MP V Hanumanth Rao has already filed his application to contest from the Khammam Lok Sabha constituency. Similarly, State Special Representative in New Delhi Mallu Ravi resigned from the post and has made up his mind to contest from Nagarkurnool constituency.

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Addressing media persons here on Monday, Hanumanth Rao said he had been serving the Congress party for long and claimed to deserve an opportunity to contest from Khammam.

“I have been working for the party, especially in Khammam, for many years and fought against injustice to different sections of people. Party workers wanted me to contest from Khammam,” Hanumanth Rao said. Expressing dissatisfaction at being sidelined by the State leadership, he also sought an explanation as to what would be the fate of senior leaders in the party, if juniors were considered for issuing tickets.

Echoing similar feelings, Mallu Ravi decided to contest from Nagarkurnool constituency. Congress spokesperson Sampath and a few other leaders have also filed their applications from the same constituency.

“I resigned from the Special Representative post to contest from Nagarkurnool constituency. I do not want to hold two positions,” Ravi said, reminding that there was a policy in the party not to issue tickets to those who lost in the Assembly elections. He also met a few leaders in New Delhi to press for his candidature.

Meanwhile, there is uncertainty over the Khammam constituency candidate. In addition to a few leaders, including Hanumanth Rao, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s brother Prasad Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu’s wife Mallu Nandini and others have filed their applications.

Amidst this, both the left parties, CPI and CPM are also exerting pressure on the Congress to consider their party members candidature under the alliance. CPI has demanded the Congress to allot Peddapalli, Warangal, Khammam, Nalgonda and Bhongir seats. CPM is also insisting on allotment of at least one seat in the Lok Sabha elections.

Will the State Congress consider the pleas from the Left remains a big question.