Hyderabad: The BJP has announced its first list of candidates with 52 names for the upcoming Telangana Assembly elections. The list includes 12 women candidates, the highest number of seats given to women by any political party for the 2023 Telangana polls. The BRS which released its first list of candidates list has given tickets to only seven women.
Three Lok Sabha MPs, including former BJP state chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar, figured on the list. The party's election committee head Etela Rajender has been fielded from Huzurabad, a seat he represents in the outgoing assembly, and Gajwel where he will take on Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Party's firebrand leader, MLA T. Raja Singh whose suspension was revoked will contest his Goshamahal again. MP Soyam Bapu Rao from Adilabad will be contesting from Boath assembly constituency while Bandi Sanjay, MP will contest from Karimnagar assembly constituency. BJP has fielded Dharmapuri Aravind MP from Nizamabad from Koratla assembly seat.
Former journalist Rani Rudrama Reddy will contest from Sircilla where she will fight against minister K.T. Rama Rao.
Notably, the BJP's first list doesnt have prominent names like party state president G. Kishan Reddy, MP K. Laxman, national president of the OBC morcha. Brother of minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao, Errabelli Pradeep Rao who quit the BRS in August will be contesting from Warangal East.
