Hyderabad: The Congress is expected to announce candidates for the pending Khammam, Karimnagar, and Hyderabad Lok Sabha seats on April 12. TPCC chief and Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy is set to depart for Delhi on Thursday to attend the AICC's central election committee (CEC) meeting for finalising candidates for these seats in Telangana.
The date for the CEC meeting, whether April 11 or 12, remains uncertain. The party high command has requested Revanth Reddy to be available for either date.
There is stiff competition among multiple aspirants for tickets in Khammam and Karimnagar. In Hyderabad, the Congress is planning a “friendly contest” with AIMIM by fielding a non-minority candidate, following an agreement between the parties to collaborate in Telangana to prevent a split in minority votes, which could benefit the BJP. Earlier, the BRS and AIMIM had such arrangements in Hyderabad. Since the Congress took power in December 2023, they have been working closely. Congress leaders, who previously criticised the AIMIM, are now maintaining silence. Recent public meetings, like the one in Tukkuguda, saw no mention of AIMIM, unlike during the Assembly polls, where the AIMIM and the BRS were alleged to be in alliance with the BJP against the Congress.
So far, the Congress has announced candidates for 14 out of 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in four phases. In the first phase on March 8, candidates were declared for Nalgonda, Mahbubnagar, Zaheerabad, and Mahbubabad. The second phase on March 21 saw candidates for Peddapalli, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Nagarkurnool, and Chevella. The third phase on March 27 announced candidates for Nizamabad, Bhongir, Medak, and Adilabad. In the fourth phase on April 1, Kadiyam Kavya was named for the Warangal Lok Sabha ticket.
