Telangana: BRS finding giving tickets in 25 constituencies very hard

Hyderabad: Some parties have no candidates and it is a problem. Some parties have too many candidates, and that too is a problem. Ask BRS.

The ruling pink party has an equally tough road ahead as the opposition parties without candidates. It is facing a very tough situation in picking candidates, especially for 25 Assembly constituencies, even as the party is gearing to release its first list by this month-end.

The highly problematic constituencies include Uppal, Medak, Rajendranagar, Kothagudem, Tandur, Mahbubabad, Jubilee Hills, Huzurabad, Serilingampally, Vemulawada, Khanapur, Warangal East, Warangal West, Nagarjunasagar, Zaheerabad, Kalwakurthy and Jangaon.

These 25 constituencies are witnessing a fierce battle between the incumbent MLA and multiple alternate aspirants. All ticket aspirants have stepped up their activities in the respective constituencies and are sending indications to party leadership that they “would be forced to look at other parties” if they are denied tickets. Party sources indicated that BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has initiated an exercise to release the first list of party candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls later this month.

The Chief Minister is reportedly holding marathon meetings at Pragathi Bhavan in this regard, which are being attended by BRS working president K.T. Rama Rao, minister T. Harish Rao, senior leaders S. Madhusudhana Chary and B. Vinod Kumar, among others.

Despite the BRS party’s call for agitation and protest on Wednesday to protest against TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy’s comments, (in which all ministers took part in agitation programmes in respective districts), Mr Rama Rao and Mr Harish Rao were confined to Hyderabad. Reportedly, they were busy with CM KCR’s meeting held at Pragathi Bhavan for shortlisting candidates for Assembly polls.

Party sources said that during the shortlisting process, some 25 Assembly constituencies were identified, which are said to be 'most problematic' due to fierce battle between incumbent MLAs and multiple aspirants and all of them issuing warnings that they would be forced to leave the party and join Congress or BJP, if they are denied tickets.

The BRS leadership is said to be devising a strategy to pacify the disgruntled leaders and keep its flock together after announcement of tickets in the first list. It is believed that the CM has entrusted this task to Rama Rao, Harish Rao, Madhusudhana Chary, Vinod Kumar and a few other leaders to speak to disgruntled leaders and ensure that there is no exodus from BRS to other parties ahead of Assembly polls.