Nizamabad: After a stalemate, the Congress high command fielded senior leader and MLC T. Jeevan Reddy as its Lok Sabha candidate from Nizamabad Parliament constituency.
The party’s state and national leaderships favoured the candidature of Jeevan Reddy in the hope that he would give a tough fight to the BJP and the BRS in the constituency. Setting aside social equations and other aspects, the Congress is giving a chance to the senior leader.
The BJP has fielded its sitting MP Arvind Dharmapuri and the BRS declared former MLA Bajireddy Govardhan as its candidate for the Nizamabad seat. Both Arvind and Govardhan belong to the numerically strong Munnuru Kapu community. Expectations were that the Congress would also field a Backward Classes candidate.
Considering the seniority, loyalty and different survey reports, the Congress high command zeroed in on Jeevan Reddy. Expecting the ticket, Jeevan Reddy had already begun his campaign in Nizamabad and Jagtial districts. He also lent his weight to the Nizam Sugar Factory (NSF) issues and programmes of farmers.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Bodhan, Nizamabad rural Congress MLAs P. Sudarshan Reddy and R. Bhupathi Reddy supported the candidature of Jeevan. Taking due note, the party high command fielded him as its nominee for a third time.
Earlier, he contested for the Lok Sabha from Karimnagar in 2006 and 2008 but was defeated by BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao.
Jeevan Reddy is a native of Jagtial and began his political career as samithi president. He was elected for the first time as MLA in 1983 on a Telugu Desam ticket. He served as minister in the Cabinets of N.T. Rama Rao and Y.S. Rajashekara Reddy.
At present, he serves as MLC of undivided Karimnagar, Nizamabad, Adilabad and Medak Graduates Cconstituency. Expectations are that the sizable population of Muslims in Nizamabad LS constituency and different communities like the Reddys will back Jeevan Reddy, party sources said.
The LS constituency consists of Nizamabad Urban, Nizamabad Rural, Bodhan, Balkonda, Armoor, Korutla and Jagtial Assembly constituencies. Of the seven MLAs, the BRS has three and the BJP and Congress two each.
Jeevan Reddy will meet the CM on Friday and start his election campaign either from March 31 or April 1. He is coordinating with senior leaders of the Congress in Nizamabad and Jagtial districts.
Congress leaders are hopeful that the prevailing mood is in favour of the Congress party and this would benefit Jeevan Reddy.
