HYDERABAD: The BRS which announced candidates for 115 Assembly constituencies on August 21, even before the Election Commission issued poll notification, is set to name candidates for the remaining four seats this week.
Sources said that party president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had finalised the candidates.
Speculation is rife in BRS circles that CM Rao has decided to replace Malkajgiri MLA Mynampally Hanumantha Rao, who created a political storm by making adverse comments against finance minister T. Harish Rao, after the party decided to deny ticket to Mynampally Rohit, son of Hanumantha Rao.
It is believed that the BRS boss is considering naming MLC Shambhipur Raju as a replacement for Hanumantha Rao. In this context, Raju's meeting with Harish Rao here on Monday assumed significance.
CM Rao has kept the announcement of candidates on hold for Jangaon, Narsapur, Nampally and Goshamahal. Party sources informed that Chandrashekar Rao had finalised Rythu Bandhu Samithi chairman and MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy for Jangaon to replace MLA Muthireddy Yadagiri Reddy and TS Women's Commission chairperson Vakiti Sunitha Laxma Reddy in place of MLA Chilumula Madan Reddy.
For Goshamahal and Nampally constituencies, Chandrashekar Rao reportedly finalised the candidature of Nand Kishore Vyas Bilal and Munukutla Anand Goud respectively. Interestingly, Kishore and Goud were unsuccessful in 2018.
Party working president and IT minister K.T. Rama Rao, on a visit to the US since August 20, is expected to return to the city by September 1. The names of the four remaining candidates will be released after his return.
If Yadagiri Reddy and Madan Reddy are left out, the number of MLAs dropped by the BRS will increase to nine. If Hanumantha Rao is also dropped, the number will increase to 10. Seven MLAs were dropped from the candidates list announced on August 21.
Although the name of Korutla MLA Kalvakuntla Vidyasagar Rao and Kamareddy MLA Bajireddy Goverdhan did not figure in the first list, the party leadership is not treating them as dropped. Vidyasagar Rao had cited ill-health and asked the party to nominate his son son K. Sanjay.
Goverdhan stayed away from Kamareddy to pave way for Chandrashekar Rao to contest a second seat, besides Gajwel.
