Telangana: Congress leaders start lobbying for ticket from Khammam

Khammam: Several Congress leaders are said to be competing for the Khammam Lok Sabha ticket in view of the party’s success in the assembly elections. The ruling Congress was confident of winning the seat as it had won eight of the 10 assembly seats in the erstwhile Khammam district and one seat was won by its alliance partner CPI.

BRS’s Nama Nageswara Rao currently represents the Khammam Lok Sabha constituency and is likely to get the pink party’s nod to contest again in the upcoming elections. Recently, there were reports doing the rounds on social media that the State Congress Committee has requested Sonia Gandhi to contest from Khammam, although none of the top leaders has confirmed the same.

It is said that some top leaders and new faces are lobbying for tickets through their close relatives who are close to the party leadership. The name of Nandini, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, is in discussion for Khammam MP ticket. On the other hand, Prasad Reddy, brother of Revenue and Information Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and son of Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao are keen to contest from Yugandhar constituency.

Former Khammam MP Renuka Chaudhary is also trying hard for the ticket. Some leaders who made unsuccessful attempts to secure tickets to contest from Khammam and Palair assembly constituencies are also among the hopefuls.

Although neither the State Congress Committee nor the high command gave any indication as to who would be fielded from the constituency, all the contenders have started lobbying for the party ticket. Some have even started ground work and reached out to the people. Speaking to TNIE, Mallu Nandini said that she would definitely contest from the constituency if the party gives her a chance.