Nizamabad: Following the footsteps of BRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao, top BJP and Congress leaders too would contest from two each Assembly constituencies.
The Chief Minister as also BJP MLA Etala Rajendar had already announced their candidature from one each assembly constituency apart from their existing constituencies.
On the same lines, TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy, MP, would contest from his home town Kodangal as also the Kamareddy constituency where Rao is the BRS candidate.
However, MLA ticket aspirant from Kamareddy Mohammad Ali Shabbir is reportedly being shifted to Nizamabad Urban constituency, where the Congress was unable to find a suitable candidate.
The Congress has a strong base in Kamareddy constituency. Before Rao announced his candidature there, Shabbir Ali had been given positive hints about his electoral prospects. However, with the chief minister entering the Kamareddy fray, political stalwarts of other parties are showing an interest to directly face him in the electoral battle there.
BJP leaders initially believed that either Nizamabad MP Dharmapuri Arvind or Vijayashanthi will take on the CM in Kamareddy. But the saffron party high command fielded local leader Venkata Ramana Reddy as its nominee.
Rajendar targeted Rao in Gajwel, where he will contest this time apart from his hometown Huzurabad. The Congress also changed its strategy and planned to field Revanth Reddy against the Chief Minister in Kamareddy.
In view of the sizable minority votes in Nizamabad Urban constituency, Shabbir Ali may be fielded from Nizamabad. Social media is abuzz with reports of the Revanth Reddy’s candidature against Rao in Kamareddy.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior Congress leader said if Revanth Reddy and Shabbir Ali are fielded from Kamareddy and Nizamabad Urban constituencies, this would increase the prospects of the Congress in undivided Nizamabad district.
“Compared with all other political parties, competition for MLA tickets is high in the Congress this time,” he claimed.
