The TRS list for Parliament elections on Thursday threw up surprises as at least half-a-dozen new faces made it at the cost of senior leaders who expected a call.
The list included Khammam candidate Nama Nageswara Rao who joined the party only earlier in the day though it was rumoured that he was sent away a couple of days back when he approached the leadership for the purpose.
Other than three sitting MPs, prominent among those who did not get ticket included former Home Minister P. Sabita Indra Reddy’s son Karthik Reddy who joined TRS., reportedly with the intention to contest from Chevella.
Advisor to Government, G. Vivekanand, who was keen on contesting from Peddapalli, and Special Representative of Government in New Delhi, Manda Jagannatham, who represented Nagarkurnool in the past were the other prominent omissions. Sources said K. Naveen Kumar, a leader from Kukatpally, who was considered a certainty from Malkajgiri and unanimous candidate of all MLAs in the constituency, was left out to pave way for Labour Minister C. Malla Reddy’s son-in-law Marri Rajasekhar Reddy to take on Congress working president A. Revanth Reddy.
The list was significant for tickets to heirs of two other senior TRS leaders, including Animal Husbandry Minister T. Srinivas Yadav’s son, Sai Kiran, and Dornakal MLA D.S. Redya Naik’s daughter, M. Kavitha, from Mahbubabad.
It was said sitting Mahabubabad MP Sitaram Naik was dropped on grounds of poor performance while party leader in Lok Sabha Jithender Reddy was shown the door as he reportedly promoted rebel TRS candidates in recent Assembly elections to Makthal, Narayanpet and Shadnagar constituencies. Reacting to the development, Mr. Jithender Reddy told media persons in Mahbubnagar that he welcomed the decision of the Chief Minister and that he would continue in the party. Perhaps, he said he was dropped as the Chief Minister wanted to give him some other role in the party.
In the case of Dr. Vivekanand, it was learnt that he was not preferred because he allegedly supported a rebel candidate against Scheduled Castes Development Minister Koppula Easwar, and his brother Vinod had also contested on BSP ticket from Bellampally constituency in the Assembly elections.
The Congress candidate from Chennur constituency in Assembly elections, B. Venkatesh, was preferred to Dr. Vivekanand.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao honoured his commitment to give ticket to a former Minister of Telugu Desam, P. Ramulu, ignoring Dr. Jagannatham, at Nagarkurnool, sources added.
