Warangal: After experiencing strong rebuke over its choice of Parliament candidate for Mahbubabad seat, the Congress party now seems to be rethinking its decision to field Mr Porika Balram Naik. The Adivasi and Lambada sections of the party have strongly opposed the candidature of Mr Naik and threatened to field rebel candidates against him. In this context, the party has summoned Lambada Porata Hakkala Samithi national vice president Tejavath Bellaiah Naik to the office of AICC chief Rahul Gandhi.
Mr Balram Naik, who was named as the candidate for the seat is yet to set a date for filing his nomination. He too is said to be in a dilemma after facing the heat from the Adivasis and also from his own Lambada community.
Mr Bellaiah Naik who received a call from New Delhi left for the capital on Tuesday. He is expected to meet Rahul on Wednesday. When asked, Mr Bellaiah Naik told DC, he was confident of doing well in the elections with the support he had in the constituency. “I met some top leaders in Delhi. I assured them of getting at least one lakh additional votes than the other contestants of the Congress.”
The Lambada Hakkula Porata Samithi has come down hard on the Congress’ decision. The leaders questioned why the party had chosen someone who was defeated in three consecutive elections.
On the other hand, TPCC member and Adivasi leader Chimala Venkateshwarlu is strongly rooting for an Adivasi candidate for the seat, and is also opposing the candidature of the Lambada. He contended that the representation of the Adivasis was more in the Assembly constituencies under the Mahbubabad constituency. He said that lambada candidates were chosen over Adivasis in both Adilabad and Mahbubabad which were reserved for the STs.
When asked to comment, Mr Balram Naik played down the development as mere speculation. He said he had got the B-form from the party four days ago.
