Nizamabad: Major political parties are on the search for suitable Backward Classes (BC) candidates to be fielded in the coming assembly elections.
The ruling BRS party has reduced the BC MLA candidates’ number from existing three to two in undivided Nizamabad district. In the BJP and Congress parties, forward community candidates have become front-runners for MLA ticket.
Political awareness among BC communities has been high in composite Nizamabad district since the 1970s.
The BRS announced tickets for sitting MLAs Bajireddy Govardhan of Nizamabad rural and Jajala Surender of Yellareddy assembly constituency. Both belong to the dominant Munnurukapu community.
Government whip, Kamareddy MLA Gampa Govardhan, who hails from the Perika community (BC), was dropped from the list as chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao declared his candidature from Kamareddy for the upcoming polls.
Govardhan is the only MLA from the numerically strong Perika community, spread over the undivided Nizamabad, Adilabad, Karimnagar, Warangal and Medak districts.
In the last assembly elections, the Congress fielded BC candidates Akula Lalitha, Eravathri Anil, Kasula Balraj and Jajala Surender from Armoor, Balkonda, Banswada and Yellareddy assembly constituencies. Jajala Surender who won the Yellareddy seat later joined the BRS.
Congress leaders are proposing the party’s MLA tickets for BCs in Nizamabad urban, Armoor and Banswada constituencies. More than half a dozen candidates applied for MLA tickets from these constituencies. They are eagerly waiting for a decision from the Congress high command and stressing the need for “social justice” in the allotment of MLA tickets.
TPCC working president Mahesh Goud, former MLA Eravathri Anil, TPCC’s former secretary N Ratnakar, former mayor Sanjay, city Congress president Kesha Venu and others applied for MLA ticket from Nizamabad urban assembly constituency.
In Armoor, former president of the district sarpanches forum Gortha Rajender, former municipal councillor AB Srinivas and others are hopeful of getting the party ticket. In Banswada, senior leader Kasula Balraj is among the hopefuls.
Compared with other districts in Telangana, Nizamabad is always a BC-dominated political landscape. Those like Argul Rajaram and Bala Goud had played key roles in state politics as cabinet ministers.
Former APCC president D. Srinivas, former MP MG Yashki, former ministers D Satyanarayana and Nerella Anjaneyulu had impacted the district politics.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, a senior Congress leader said they were seeking three MLA tickets for BCs under Nizamabad parliamentary constituency. Nizamabad urban, Armoor and Korutla are favourites for BCs. TPCC is ready to give 35 MLA tickets for BCs, he explained.
In BJP, Nizamabad rural and Nizamabad urban leaders are expecting MLA tickets for BCs. But, there is no clarity over allotment of tickets for BCs.
