The month-long exercise of the Telangana Congress in finalising its list of candidates has left a mixed feeling among the cadre and the leaders but the rebellion is confined to the constituencies and the districts rather than the Gandhi Bhavan, which is usually the target.
Out of the 65 candidates the dissent has so far been confined to about 10 constituencies but the most intriguing among them was the denial of seat to former PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah from Jangaon. Other two prominent leaders who were expected to get the nomination were Patel Ramesh Reddy from Suryapet and Nayani Rajender Reddy from Warangal West.
While agreeing to the presence of dissent and rebellion, party leaders argue that the first list has strong contenders if their individual capacity to win the election is considered.
The second list is likely to be announced on Wednesday evening.
Majority of them are two to three time MLAs while others lost narrowly in the 2014 elections when Telangana sentiment was at its peak.
Many constraints
“We had several constraints in picking up candidates keeping in view the social and party group combinations but overall the selection will give the jitters to their opponents,” claimed a senior leader. “Individually, all of them are strong given their long association with the constituencies, unlike the TRS candidates.”
“Mr. Ponnala’s issue has sent a wrong signal to the Backward Classes. It was inviting unnecessary criticism,” a senior leader agreed. Mr. Ponnala is the senior-most in the Congress as of now along with Mr. Jana Reddy, but the latter also spent some time in Telugu Desam Party (TDP) unlike Mr. Ponnala, who has always been with the Congress.
The reason for delaying Mr. Ponnala’s name is due to the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) also eyeing it in the alliance. TJS chief M. Kodandaram will contest from Jangaon if the Congress concedes the seat and Mr. Ponnala is likely to be promised nomination in the Lok Sabha elections.
‘More BCs included’
AICC secretary Madhu Yashki said this was only the first list and several more BC candidates will get opportunity in the second list. “In fact, the original list was changed on the instructions of Mr. Rahul Gandhi who wanted improved representation to the BCs,” he told The Hindu .
On the other hand, Mr. Ramesh Reddy, who joined the Congress from TDP along with Mr. A. Revanth Reddy, lost out as the party wanted to buy peace with former minister Damodar Reddy, who would have contested as a rebel and also affected chances in Tungaturthi constituency where his follower Dr. Ravi is seeking ticket. The party wants to nominate its one of the most vocal spokesperson and strong critic of the TRS, Addanki Dayakar.
Warangal district Congress chief Nayini Rajender Reddy was a sure-shot candidate but the alliance has hit his chances and TDP’s Revuri Prakash Reddy will contest from there.
A few other senior leaders denied ticket are former minister Vijayarama Rao, seeking ticket from Station Ghanpur, and A. Chandrashekar from Chevella, and M. Krishank, who is fighting with his father-in-law and former Union minister Sarve Satyanarayana. The tussle between them has apparently reached a stage where Mr. Satyanarayana has warned his son-in-law that family ties would be affected. But an adamant Mr. Krishanak has warned that he would be enter the fray as rebel.
AICC incharge for Telangana, R.C. Khuntia told The Hindu that the party has high regard for all these leaders but the alliance politics and social combinations has cast a shadow on their positions. But they will be suitably rewarded, he said.
Ahmed Patel to pacify dissidents
Senior leader Ahmed Patel has been roped in to pacify the dissidents as a special emissary of AICC president Rahul Gandhi. Mr. Patel will personally interact with the candidates left out of the election process now and is likely to give specific assurances on how the party plans to compensate them for their ‘sacrifice’ now.
