Congress adopts counter-strategy against BJP, BRS

NIZAMABAD: Fast-changing political equations in Nizamabad Parliament constituency have encouraged the Congress party to field a candidate from the Backward Classes (BC) for the Parliament polls.

The BJP and BRS had declared Arvind Dharmapuri the sitting MP and former MLA Bajireddy Govardhan respectively as their candidates. Both belongs to the numerically strong Munnuru Kapu community.

The Congress party is also seriously considering fielding a BC candidate, likely a woman, in the constituency. The name of former MLC Akula Lalitha is cited in this context. Other aspirants in the Congress party are facing resistance from the party cadre.

As part of the Ghar Wapsi programme, Akula Lalitha had re-joined the Congress party before the assembly elections. She began her career with the Congress and later joined the BRS and finally had an about-turn.

In Nizamabad parliament constituency, the Muslim population is 3.80 lakh followed by Munnuru Kapu 3.45 lakh, Padmashali 1.75 lakh, Mala, Madiga (SC) 2.40 lakh, 76,000 Mudiraj, 70,000 Lambada (ST), 57,000 Goud, 97,000 Reddy, 38,000 Vishwa Brahmin, 36,000 Yadav, 29,000 Vaddera.

Interestingly, the number of women voters is also high at 8.90 lakh and men 7.91 lakh. Considering the Munnuru Kapu community’s numerical strength, both BJP and BRS fielded the candidates from this community.

In the Congress, MLC T. Jeevan Reddy, former MLC Akula Lalitha, former MLA Eravathri Anil, defeated Balkonda assembly candidate M. Sunil Kumar Reddy and ace film director Dil Raju’s brother V Narasimha Reddy are seeking ticket for the LS polls.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and Bodhan senior MLA P. Sudarshan Reddy favoured the candidature of Jeevan Reddy for the LS polls, but the ground reality is different.

Some Congress leaders ask how the party could field recently-defeated MLA candidates for the Lok Sabha, like Jeevan Reddy and Sunil Reddy. Hope is that the party high command would deny ticket to all recently-defeated candidates.

Former MLA, Eravathri Anil, expressed his inability to contest the Assembly polls. How can his candidature be considered for LS polls, some party activists ask.

Being a new face, party leaders are not enthusiastic about V. Narasimha Reddy for the LS candidature. In these circumstances, Akula Lalitha seemed to emerge as a strong contender for the parliament polls.

The Munnuru Kapu votes will be consolidated and support of women voters garnered better if she is the candidate, Congress leaders aver.

Lalitha began her political career as MPTC member in Makloor mandal and was gradually elected as MPP president, ZPTC member, Dichpally MLA and Nizamabad MLC. She also served as Mahila Congress national general secretary and its united AP state president. Akula Lalitha was the only woman DCC president in erstwhile Nizamabad district.

She claims to have a strong base in Nizamabad urban, Nizamabad rural and Armoor assembly constituencies. Of the seven assembly constituencies under Nizamabad LS constituency, five major constituencies are in Nizamabad district. Congress leaders from the district demanded that local leaders be considered for the candidature.

Cutting across party lines, people from different sections back Akula Lalitha because of her “close rapport” with the people and focus on developmental works, say some partymen.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a Congress leader said that if Akula Lalitha is fielded, the fight will be triangular between the Congress, BJP and BRS. Sitting MP Arvind Dharmapuri is facing anti- incumbency sentiments, the BRS had lost its ground and hence it would be a cakewalk for the Congress if it fielded a woman as the LS candidate, he opined.