Congress CEC clears five names from Telangana, announcement awaited

The Central Election Committee of the Congress which met in New Delhi on Tuesday evening under the chairmanship of AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge to finalise the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections is believed to have cleared names for five more Lok Sabha seats in Telangana.

Congress sources revealed that the party has cleared the names for Chevella, Malkajgiri, Secunderabad, Nagarkurnool and Peddapalli constituencies. Official announcement is expected on Wednesday.

Days after BRS MP from Chevella G. Ranjit Reddy joined the Congress party, his name is understood have been cleared for the same seat. A surprise selection is that of BRS MLA Danam Nagender from Secunderabad. He had crossed over to the Congress along with Mr. Ranjit Reddy.Another strong aspirant from Chevella, Patnam Sunitha Reddy is believed to have been accommodated in Malkajgiri.

The party is understood to have cleared the name of TPCC vice president Mallu Ravi (Nagarkurnool) and Gaddam Vamsi Krishna (Peddapalli, son of Chennur MLA G Vivekananda).

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Minister for Irrigation N. Uttam Kumar

Reddy are in New Delhi to attend the meeting to finalise the names.

For Telangana, the party has to clear the names of 13 candidates as the first list had named Ch. Vamshichand Reddy (Mahabubnagar), former Union minister Balram Naik (Mahabubabad), Kunduru Raghveer Reddy (Nalgonda) and Suresh Shetkar (Zaheerabad). Name of BRS MP Pasanuru Dayakar, who joined the Congress is under active consideration from Warangal SC seat. Karimnagar ticket is likely to go to former MLA Praveen Reddy.

The constituencies, which are witnessing heavy demand is Khammam, Nagarkurnool, Bhongir and Peddapalli. Deputy

CM Bhatti’s wife Mallu Nandini and Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s brother Prasad Reddy are vying for the Khammam seat.

Similarly, the Congress is caught between giving the ticket to Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy’s wife Lakshmi the ticket or bringing in former BRS MLA Pyla Shekhar Reddy in Bhongir constituency.

Congress sources said that in Nizamabad, a woman doctor’s name is doing the round while party high command also sounded TPCC working president and MLC Mahesh Kumar Goud to be ready.

In Adilabad party is said to have zeroed in on Sumalatha, an Adivasi doctor working in RIMS in Adilabad.