Hyderabad: Congress panel starts seat talks in Telangana

Hyderabad: After claiming that it was their relentless fight which brought Telangana state, Telangana Congressmen, particularly sitting MPs and MLAs, have started another fight with the Congress high command to retain their seats in the coming polls and to block the seats of their political opponents.

The Congress Screening Committee headed by Union minister Vayalar Ravi and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh on Saturday initiated the marathon exercise for over 10 hours to listen to all key leaders from the Telangana Congress on their claims and counter claims.  It became clear that there will be a few ‘changes’ in sitting MPs and MLAs getting seats again, much against the general thinking in the Telangana Congress that everyone should be retained.

The MPs who met the Committee suggested 'one or two' sitting MLAs in their Lok Sabha Constituency needs to be changed due to their bad performance in their Assembly segments. Contrary to this, some of the MLAs have represented to the Committee that their sitting MPs also need to be changed as otherwise the party will not able to win the seat.
Union minister S. Jaipal Reddy who met the committee said that he is interested in shifting to Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha seat this time from Chevella.

Minister Sarve Satyanarayana told the committee that he wanted to be retained at Malkajgiri and does not want to shift. He also told them that he will win with 5 lakh record margin this time.
Senior leader and MP from Nalgonda Palvai Govardhan Reddy reportedly complained to the committee that Bhongir MP Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy and his brother Nalgonda MLA Komatireddy Venkata Reddy should not be given tickets again as they have been working against the Congress all these years.

Mr Rajagopal Reddy met the committee and said he alone can win from Bhongir and he should be retained.

He also complained against Mr Govardhan Reddy saying that he is the  one who is spoiling their image among voters in the constituency.

While Rajya Sabha member Renuka Chowdary requested the committee to consider her name for the Khammam Lok Sabha seat, MLC Ponguleti Sudhakara Reddy sought his name cleared for the seat.

There are 50 Congress MLAs and 10 sitting Lok Sabha members from Telangana.

Two MPs G. Vivek and Dr M. Jagannatham  joined the Telangana Rashtra Samithi  earlier.