Denied Ticket, Congress Aspirant to Enter Fray as Independent

HYDERABAD: Supporters of yet another Congress aspirant took to the streets in Trimulgherry, in support of V. Jeevakan, belonging to the Aruva Mala (listed as a Backward Class community), who did not get a ticket.

The protesters said the constituency had 2.42 lakh voters of whom 65, 000 were minority voters and 46,000 belonged to the Aruva Mala community.

The ticket went to Dr. G.V. Vennela, daughter of the balladeer Gaddar, who, the protesters said, was not a primary member of the party.
Jeevakan, who has criss-crossed between the Congress, Telugu Desam and the BRS, was in 1988 elected ward councillor from JJ Nagar Yapral. In 2000, he was Alwal municipal chairman. Early this year he made a Congress ghar wapsi.

“There was no presence of Congress in the Cantonment after the new state was formed. As I belong to the Christian minority, I reach out to around 10,000 houses and I have established a large cadre. It is sad that I was denied the ticket, even though surveys favoured my winning prospects,” he said.

“If the party fails to do a rethink on the ticket allotment, I will have no other option but quit the party and contest as an independent candidate from Secunderabad Cantonment,” Jeevakan said.