Telangana assembly elections: Congress releases first list of 55 candidates

HYDERABAD: The Congress on Sunday released the first list of 55 candidates which includes its three sitting Lok Sabha members, for November 30 elections to the Telangana legislative assembly.
State Congress president and Malkajgiri MP A Revanth Reddy has been nominated from Kodandal constituency, Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar reddy from Huzurnagar and Bhuvanagiri MP Komatireddy Venkat reddy from Nalgonda seat.
"Winning prospects based on multiple surveys" was the main criteria adopted to finalise the contesting candidates. Except for a few seats, by and large the names of seats where there was a consensus about the candidates who would contest, have been announced in the list.
Many of the 55 candidates did not face any big competition from other aspirants within the party. The first list comprises party's sitting MLAs, seniors and new comers with social justice also being followed. The first list contains candidates from Reddy, BC, SC, ST, Velama, Brahmin and minority communities.
All the five sitting MLAs including PCC working president T Jagga Reddy from Sangareddy, Danasari Anasuya (Seethakka) from Mulugu ST constituency, Congress legislature party leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka from Madhira (SC), Podem Veeraiah from Bhadrachalam (ST) and Duddilla Sridhar Babu from Manthani, were also named from their respective constituencies in the first list.
The one family on ticket rule enshrined in Congress' Udaipur declaration went for a toss as Malkajgiri sitting MLA Mynampalli Hanumanth Rao and Mynampalli Rohith were given tickets from Malkajgiri and Medchal assembly segments.
Senior Congress leader T Narsa Reddy will lock horns with chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in Gajwel constituency. The party has not finalised the candidates for Siricilla and Siddipet assembly constituencies, from where KCR’s son K T Rama Rao and nephew T Harish Rao, are in the fray.
Among the seniors who were denied tickets include former minister Nagam Janardhan Reddy from Nagarkurnool.