Khammam: Cadre help sought to pick Lok Sabha candidate

Khammam: Selecting a suitable candidate for Khammam Lok Sabha constituency has become a stupendous task for the Congress high command. To resolve the issue, the high command is getting the opinions of field level party leaders and cadre in all the assembly segments in Khammam LS constituency.

The party leaders and activists are being asked to give their opinion on the suitable candidate for Khammam over telephone.

There are many Congress leaders vying for the prized constituency’s ticket, but most of these aspirants are not mass leaders. They cannot get votes on their own and they have to rely only on the party’s strength and symbol. Congress has the advantage in five out of the seven segments in Khammam LS constituency. With this, leaders across statures are seeking the ticket for Khammam.

Congress wanted to field a suitable candidate who would be a sure winner. The party symbol is not enough to win in Khammam. The candidate should have some clout in at least one or two Assembly segments. Further, he should have good relations with the party MLAs of Palair, Kothagudem and Madhira Assembly segments apart from the two segments of Sattupalli and Aswaraopet, both won by TD, which was a part of the Mahakutami in the Assembly polls. The high command has asked DCCs to send a five-member list for the Khammam seat. But Khammam DCC has asked PCC and AICC to select the candidate and they will support him or her.

Two businessmen Mr Vaddiraju Ravichandra and Mr V. Rajendra Prasad are making efforts for the seat as well.

CLP leader Mr Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka is supporting Mr Prasad while PCC president Mr N. Uthamkumar Reddy is supporting Mr Ravichandra.

TD leader Nama Nageswara Rao’s name is also coming through the pre-recorded calls to the cell phones of Congress leaders. Union former minister Ms Renuka Chowdary, former MLC Mr P. Nageswara Rao and Mr P. Sudhakara Reddy are also trying their luck.