Warangal Lok Sabha bypoll: Parties biding time

Hyderabad: Opposition parties, the Congress and TD-BJP, will adopt a “wait and watch” approach before announcing their candidates for the Warangal Lok Sabha bypoll. These parties had earlier said that they would reveal their candidate on the first day of filing of nominations.  

TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who was in Delhi for finalising the party candidate, on Wednesday met AICC vice-president Rahul Gandhi and submitted the names of four probables — G. Vivek, Sarve Satyanarayana, S. Rajaiah (all former MPs) and R. Pratap.

Mr Reddy also met AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh. He was asked to wait for a few days for the announcement of candidate.

As of now, it appears that Mr Vivek, who had earlier said he was not inclined to contest, has been convinced by both Mr Gandhi and Mr Singh to change his mind. Mr Vivek had rushed to Delhi on Tuesday and met the AICC leaders. Upon his return on Wednesday, he has started holding consultations with his followers besides asking for a fresh survey by a private agency on the Congress’ prospects.

“We are not announcing the candidate today. I submitted the list to Mr Gandhi and it is under his consideration. We may take a few more days to announce our nominee,” Mr Reddy told DC.

A similar situation exists in the TD-BJP camp. Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya, before leaving for Delhi on Wednesday, told BJP leaders that only a BJP nominee would be contesting the Warangal bypoll and a candidate would be announced in the next few days.

On Tuesday, TD president N. Chandrababu Naidu had told his party leaders from TS that he would speak to BJP president Amit Shah, and then decide which party contests the bypoll.

For TRS, win to endorse policies

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is going all out to win the Warangal bypoll. He has taken the bypoll as a matter of prestige and wants to ensure a big win for the party, and ensure endorsement of his government’s programmes and policies.

“The TRS candidate will be finalised by the CM immediately after he returns from Delhi. The candidate will be announced in a day or two,” a senior TRS leader told this newspaper.
The seat fell vacant following resignation of Deputy CM Kadiam Srihari, who was inducted into the Cabinet.

In 2014 elections, Mr Srihari won by a margin of 3,92,574 votes, polling 6,61,639 votes while his nearest rival, Rajaiah Sircilla of the Congress, polled 2,69,065 votes.
With a survey showing a win for TRS, there is huge demand for the party ticket.

Prof Sambaiah, Pasanuri Dayakar and G. Ravi Kumar, all party men who were active during the separate Telangana movement, besides TRS politburo member Errolla Srinivas and SC Development Corporation chairman Pidamarthi Ravi, are among the aspirants.