Warangal: The Congress has announced former union minister Porika Balram Naik as its candidate to contest the Mahbubabad Parliament seat.
Mr Naik previously represented the seat in 2009 but lost to the TRS in 2014. Mr Naik who joined politics in 2009 tried his luck once again during the recently held Assembly elections in 2018 but lost to Shankar Naik of the TRS.
Mr Naik secured the Mahbubabad MP ticket for the third consecutive time. He was inducted in the Manmohan Singh Cabinet in 2012 as minister of state for social justice and empowerment.
During the recent Assembly elections, the Congress won four of the seven constituencies which fall under the Mahbubabad Parliament segment.
The people’s mandate was in favour of the Congress in Mulugu, Pinapaka, Yellandu and Bhadrachalam. Riding on this result, Congress expects to bag the seat. However, the party has seen a lot of defections lately with many of its legislators jumping ship to the TRS.
Rega Kantha Rao of Pinapaka and Haripriya Naik of Yellandu have joined the pink party.
The Mahbubabad Parliament which was created in 1951 has always been won by the Congress. The Parliament segment was dissolved in 1967 but once again formed during the reorganisation of Parliamentary constituencies in 2009. Mr Naik said, “The tribals have always been in favour of the Congress.” He expressed confidence over the party’s win in the upcoming election.”
He said the people of the constituency would vote for the Congress which gave separate statehood to Telangana.
