‘Son stroke’ hits Congress

There is heavy rush from kin of party leaders for seats in many constituencies.

Musheerabad Assembly constituency has turned into an epicentre of ‘son stroke’ for the City Congress leaders as their kin have staked claim for the party ticket in the coming elections.

Among the 28 Assembly segments in Hyderabad City and Ranga Reddy, there is mad rush among Congress leaders for the Musheerabad ticket, currently represented by T. Manemma, wife of former Chief Minister T. Anjaiah. Ms. Manemma won the Musheerabad seat in 2009 elections against the grand alliance comprising TDP and others besides the BJP by a margin of 14,842 votes.

There is heavy demand from the kin of Congress leaders in Musheerabad, Secunderabad Cantonment, Serilingampally, Rajendranagar and Sanatnagar constituencies.

Sources in the Greater Hyderabad Congress Committee say serious contenders for Musheerabad are M. Anil Kumar Yadav (son of Secunderabad MP Anjan Kumar Yadav), M. Vikram Goud (son of Mukesh Goud) and Srinivasa Reddy, son of Ms. Manemma. Dr. Sudhakar Yadav of the APCC Doctors’ cell and former MLA M. Kodanda Reddy are other contenders.

“All of them have submitted their applications to the GHCC and will be scrutinised shortly. It sure is giving a big headache to the party,” a senior GHCC functionary revealed on Friday.

Notable among the Cong MLAs wishing to abdicate in favour of their wards is Serilingampalli MLA Bhikshapathi Yadav, pitching for his son Ravi Kumar Yadav (Youth Congress office bearer). Former Minister P. Shankar Rao wants his daughter P. Sushmitha to get the Secunderabad Cantonment ticket.

Name of former Home Minister P. Sabitha Indra Reddy’s son P. Karthik Reddy is in list for Rajendranagar along with another leader Rajender Reddy. APYC leader Marri Aditya Reddy, son of Sanatnagar MLA Marri Sashidhar Reddy is said to be eyeing his father’s seat while Uppal MLA Bandari Raji Reddy is reportedly vacating his seat for brother, Bandari Laxma Reddy.

Seeking re-election

Secunderabad MLA Jayasudha has been convinced to seek re-election keeping in view the sizable presence of Christians and railway employees. Other Congress MLAs likely to be retained include: Akula Rajender (Malkajgiri), D. Sudhir Reddy (L. B. Nagar), P. Vishnuvardhan Reddy (Jubilee Hills) besides former Ministers – Danam Nagender (Khairatabad) and Mukesh Goud (Goshamahal).

In Kukatpally, GHMC corporators – Narasimha Yadav and Vengal Rao and senior leader Prakash Goud are contenders.

Ms. Sabitha Indra Reddy could be retained from Maheswaram or shifted to Chevella parliamentary constituency, if Mr. Jaipal Reddy moves to Mahabubnagar.

In Ibrahimpatnam, former MLA Malreddy Ranga Reddy and M. Kodanda Reddy have staked claim. Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumanth Rao also wants to take a shot at Amberpet assembly constituency, sources say.