Bhatti's wife makes a splash for Cong ticket, jams city

HYDERABAD: In a show of strength, Nandini Vikramarka, the wife of deputy chief minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, came in a massive convoy of 500 cars from Khammam to Gandhi Bhavan here on Saturday to apply for Congress ticket for the Khammam Lok Sabha seat. She was accompanied by over 2,000 party workers and followers.

Apart from Nandini, kin of at least four ministers and some senior Congress leaders are also vying for Lok Sabha seats in the ensuing elections. "Actually, I want either Sonia Gandhi or Priyanka Gandhi to contest from Khammam Lok Sabha seat. We will ensure their victory with the biggest majority. If neither of them contests from the seat, I will contest if the party high command gives me the ticket," Nandini said.

While her rally led to traffic jams in various parts of Hyderabad, Nandini said: "My ambition is to see Rahul Gandhi as prime minister. I have been working in the erstwhile Khammam district for the last few decades."

The deadline for submission of applications for Congress ticket ended on Saturday. In all, 306 applications were received for 17 seats in Telangana, with some of the aspirants applying for two or more constituencies. The last day saw 166 applications being submitted.

Khammam has emerged as a hot seat with Ponguleti Prasad Reddy, younger brother of revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, and Tummala Yugender Rao, son of agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, also seeking the party ticket.

Not to forget, former Union minister Renuka Choudhary, ex-MP V Hanumanth Rao, TPCC former working president J Kusum Kumar, former MLC Potla Nageswara Rao, senior leaders Rayala Nageswara Rao and Maddi Srinivas Reddy are also eyeing the seat. Former CM KCR's niece R Ramya Rao submitted her application for the Karimangar LS seat. Daughter of KCR's elder brother Kalvakuntla Ranga Rao, Ramya had also applied for MLA ticket from Karimnagar assembly segment, but failed to secure it.

Nalgonda is also emerging as a sought-after seat with many contenders. Srinidhi Komatireddy, daughter of R&B minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy, is one of the leading contenders. Former CLP leader and ex-minister K Jana Reddy is seeking Nalgonda ticket for his son K Raghuveer Reddy. Patel Ramesh Reddy, a close confidant of CM A Revanth Reddy, is another strong contender after he was denied Suryapet assembly ticket in the recent elections.

For Peddapalli seat, G Vamshi, son of senior leader G Vivek, applied for party's ticket. The talk in party circles is that Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy's wife is in the race for Bhuvanagiri ticket from where Revanth's close aide Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy is a front-runner.

Clarity will emerge whether Raj Gopal's wife has applied or not after scrutiny of applications, a source said.

Sources also said that many candidates applied for tickets from the reserved constituencies of Warangal, Nagarkurnool, Peddapalli and Mahabubabad.


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