Even before election notification was issued, the biggest Parliamentary constituency in the country in terms of voters, Malkajgiri was in the news with names of several political bigwigs cropping up for the contest.
Though many of them dropped eventually, the largest constituency — created in 2009 — continued to arouse the interest of people and political pundits with swiftly changing political equations. Now the contest has become more curious with two MLAs – Lok Satta president Jayaprakash Narayan from Kukatpally and Mynampally Hanumantha Rao from Medak; an MLC K. Nageswar; former DGP V. Dinesh Reddy and the sitting MP and Union Minister Sarvey Satyanarayana seeking mandate to represent the largest Parliament seat.
Unlike the State capital’s other Lok Sabha seats of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, Malkajgiri is not cent per cent urban. Surprisingly, problems like poor civic amenities or bad roads seem not to be high on the agenda of voters to decide their Lok Sabha member.
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“Drinking water and drainage issues are confined to local leaders or rather MLAs, but when choosing an MP other factors like familiarity, party and ideology matter,” say some voters. A seasoned politician, Sarvey Satyanarayana is familiar with the constituency having earlier represented Siddipet Lok Sabha constituency.
With the Centre announcing AP bifurcation, political equations changed quickly. As the election schedule was announced, internal squabbles in different parties including the ruling Congress and the main opposition party TDP drastically changed the fortunes of candidates.
Malkajgiri sitting MLA from Congress Akula Rajender joined the TRS over differences with Sarvey Satyanarayana, came back to Congress and quit it again after being denied party ticket. Interestingly, Hanumantha Rao, who too was denied TDP ticket for Malkajgiri Assembly, joined Congress but jumped into TRS and is pitted against Sarvey Satyanarayana.
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Challenging them both is TDP candidate Ch. Malla Reddy, owner of Malla Reddy group of educational institutions. Though five of the seven Assembly constituencies were won by Congress candidates last time, TDP too had good base in all of them. However, the prevailing Telangana sentiment is likely to give the TRS an edge.
Lok Satta party has followers among the educated and middle class. The YSRC nominee and former DGP V. Dinesh Reddy is trying his luck with the help of party activists and star campaigner Sharmila. MLC Nageshwar is in the fray as independent knocking on the doors of all sections.